Photochromic optically keyed dispenser

ABSTRACT

A removable and replaceable keying component which is required for operation of a mechanism and which component includes a waveguide having a photochromic portion. A method of controlling operation of a mechanism, preferably a dispenser, having a removable component comprising the steps of measuring electromagnetic radiation passing through a waveguide carrying at least in part on the removable component and permitting operation of the mechanism only when the measured electromagnetic radiation corresponds with one or more pre-selected parameters. Preferably, the method involves directing emitted electromagnetic radiation with pre-selected input parameters selected from a plurality of input parameters.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/881,753 filed Jul. 30, 2007 and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/155,763 filed Jun. 9, 2008 and claims thebenefit of 35 U.S.C. 120.

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a key system for determining conditions ofcompatibility of a replaceable component of a mechanism, preferably adispenser such as a fluid dispenser and, more particularly, to anoptical key system sensing electromagnetic waves transmitted through awaveguide to determine if the waveguide has a photochromic portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Key systems are known in which a particular key is required to bereceived in a key system as to control an aspect of operation. Manydifferent types of keys are used as, for example, keys to open locks indoors and operate machinery such as automobiles.

In the context of dispensing systems, U.S. Patent Publication US2006/0124662 to Reynolds et al, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference, teaches an electrically powered key device on arefill container to determine if the refill container is compatible witha fluid dispenser. The refill container provides a coil terminated byone of a number of capacitors and the container is received in a housingthat provides a pair of coils that are in spacial relationship with theinstalled refill coil. By energizing the housing's coil, the other coildetects the unique electronic signature which, if acceptable, permitsthe dispensing system to dispense material. The system thus utilizes anear field frequency response to determine whether the refill containeris compatible with the dispensing system.

Such previously known key devices using near field frequency responsesuffer the disadvantage that they are relatively complex and require anumber of metal coils. This has the disadvantage of precludingsubstantially the entirety of the key device to be manufactured fromplastic material and causes difficulties in recycling.

Photochromic and the related word photochromism are words which do nothave a rigorous technical definition.

Photochromic is often defined as describing compounds that undergo atransformation of a chemical species between two forms by the absorptionof electromagnetic radiation where the two forms have differentabsorption spectra, that is, different abilities to absorbelectromagnetic radiation in a range of “test wavelengths”, as inwavelength or strength. Often the word photochromic is used to describea “reversible” reaction where an absorption band of the electromagneticspectrum, typically in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum,changes dramatically in strength or wavelength. Typically, the reactionis a photochemical reaction by the absorption of “activatingelectromagnetic radiation” in a range of “activating wavelengths”.

However, photochromic compounds can be considered to be eitherreversible or irreversible. Thus, while many technical definitions referto photochromism as reversible, in this application and in the followingclaims:

-   -   1. the term “irreversible photochromic” is used to refer to        photochemical reactions that yield a permenant change by the        absorption of electromagnetic radiation;    -   2. the term “reversible photochromic” is used to refer to        photochemical reactions by the absorption of electromagnetic        radiation that are reversible; and    -   3. the term “photochromic” as used includes reactions which are        reversible polychromic as defined in (2) above and reactions        which are irreversible photochromic as defined in (1) above.

The activating electromagnetic radiation absorbed in the photochromicreaction is to be considered as being in a range of activatingwavelengths which may be any wavelength electromagnetic radiation but ispreferably light, more preferably near visible light, ultraviolet light,and visible light.

The different abilities of the two forms of a chemical species of aphotochromic compound to absorb electromagnetic radiation may bedifferent abilities to absorb electromagnetic radiation in any range oftest wavelengths which may be any wavelength electromagnetic radiationbut is preferably light, more preferably, near visible light,ultraviolet light, infrared light and visible light.

The two forms of a reversible photochromic compound may be considered tobe an unactivated form in which the compound or dye is in an unactivatedstate and an activated form in which the compound or dye is in anactivated state.

Another somewhat arbitrary requirement of reversible photochromiccompounds is that they require the two forms to be stable under ambientconditions for a reasonable time. The timescale of reversion isimportant for many embodiments of the invention considered in thisapplication, and photochromic compounds may be selected or molecularlyengineered with timescale of reversion as may be desired. For example, areversible photochromic compound in an unactivated state may onreceiving an adequate “dose” of activating electromagnetic radiationchange from an unactivated state to an activated state and in theactivated state will inherently in the absence of the activatingelectromagnetic radiation inherently return to the unactivated state. Asone alternative, the reversible photochromic dye in the activated statemay on receiving an adequate “dose” of unactivating electromagneticradiation change from the activated state to the unactivated state. Thetimescale of reversion may be the only significant difference betweenwhat might be considered an irreversible photochromic compound andreversible photochromic compound.

Reversion of reversible photochromic compounds may also be affected bythe absence or presence of electromagnetic radiation in a range ofwavelengths, notably light and therefore by darkness, being the absenceof light.

The timescale of reversion of reversible photochromic compounds is oftenshorter at higher temperatures and accelerated by heating. A closerelationship exists between photochromic and thermochromic compounds.

The extent to which photochromic compounds considered to be stable atambient conditions and particularly thermally stable at ambienttemperatures may be significant and photochromic compounds may beselected or can also be molecularly engineered with stability includingthermal stability as may be desired.

The time that a reversible photochromic compound may be considered torevert from the activated state to the unactivated state at normalambient room temperatures, may be referred to as the “reversion timeperiod”. The time that a reversible photochromic compound may beconsidered to change from an unactivated state to an activated state atnormal ambient room temperature may be referred to as the “activationtime period”.

The ability of a waveguide containing a reversible photochromic compoundin an unactivated state to transmit electromagnetic radiation in a rangeof test wavelength is referred to as the “inherent transmissioncharacteristic” or the “unactivated transmission characteristic”. Theability of a waveguide containing a reversible photochromic compound inan activated state to transmit electromagnetic radiation in the range oftest wavelengths is referred to as the “activated transmissioncharacteristic”.

Compounds which are known and can be used as reversible photochromic dyeinclude spiropyrans, spirooxazines, diarylethenes, azobenzenes,photochromic quinones and inorganic photochromics including silver andzinc halides and silver chloride. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,913,544 and 4,851,530teach exemplary known photochromic compounds and dyes. Such photochromiccompounds and dyes are known for use in a variety of materials includingplastic and glass. For example, photochromic dyes sold under the trademark REVERSACOL by James Robertson Ltd. are dyes which are preferablyactivated light from 350-410 nm and may be readily incorporated intovarious materials including low density polyethylene at, for example,0.05% concentration. Such photochromic dyes may be selected so as toprovide for different activation time periods and different reversiontime periods for the activated dyes to fade from an activated state withmaximum absorbance of test wavelengths of light to an inactivated statewith lower absorbance of test wavelengths of light. Such REVERSACOLphotochromic dyes may be used in various polymer matrix includingpolyolefins, vinyls, acrylic resins and styrenes. The preferred usagecan be in relatively inexpensive low density polyethylene in the rangeof 0.1% to 2% by weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To at least partially overcome these disadvantages of the previouslyknown devices, the invention provides each of: (a) a replaceable keycomponent including photochromic waveguide, (b) a mechanism, preferablya dispenser for use with a key component including a photochromicwaveguide, and (c) a method of operation of such a mechanism.

To at least partially overcome other disadvantages of the previouslyknown devices, the present invention provides a method of controllingthe operation of a mechanism, preferably a dispenser, having a removablecomponent with a waveguide by selectively passing electromagneticradiation through the waveguide and sensing electromagnetic radiationtransmitted through the waveguide so as to determine if the waveguideincludes a compatible photochromic portion.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical key systemin which compatibility of a component is tested by measuring theelectromagnetic radiation passed through a waveguide to see if it isphotochromic.

Another object is to provide an inexpensive system for determiningwhether a refill container is compatible with a dispensing system.

Another object is to provide an improved method of controlling theoperation of a mechanism having a removable component.

In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided forcontrolling operation of a mechanism dependent upon whether a waveguideincludes a photochromic dye.

The present invention provides a method of controlling the operation ofa mechanism, preferably a dispensing mechanism, by selectively inputtingelectromagnetic radiation into a waveguide, sensing transmittedelectromagnetic radiation through the waveguide and controllingoperation based on whether or not the sensed radiation indicates thewaveguide may have a photochromic dye, including one or more of areversible photochromic portion and an irreversible photochromicportion. The invention also provides a dispenser having the componentsnecessary to carry out the method. The invention also specificallycovers a removable component for a mechanism in which the removablecomponent includes a waveguide including at least one photochromicportion including one or more of: (1) a photochromic portion whichcontains a reversible photochromic dye, and (2) an irreversiblephotochromic portion. In this regard, the invention provides a novelremovable component, preferably for use in a dispenser, preferably afluid dispenser, which removable component includes a novel waveguideincluding a photochromic portion.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided variouscombinations of features of the optical waveguide, the electromagneticemitter and the electromagnetic sensor for determining whether anyparticular waveguide is compatible with a mechanism with which it is tobe associated. The waveguides may have a varying combination of featuresof: (1) permanent capabilities for specific electromagnetic light waveabsorption and transmission as by having a permanent colour, and (2)variable capabilities for light absorption and transmission as via theuse of photochromic dyes which may be reversible and/or irreversible.Any combination of one or more of these features may be used alone ortogether in combination with other features such as size, position andplacement of the waveguides and the use of frangible elements on thewaveguide to provide advantageous arrangements for uniquely coding andkeying waveguide containing components for use in specific mechanismsand methods for determination if any of the waveguide containingcomponents meet the criteria of any specific of the mechanisms.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a removable andreplaceable keying component which is required for operation of amechanism,

the keying component including an electromagnetic radiation waveguide,

the waveguide having an inlet for electromagnetic radiation and anoutlet electromagnetic radiation,

the waveguide providing a path for transmission of electromagneticradiation from the inlet to the outlet,

the waveguide includes a photochromic portion which contains aphotochromic dye which has an inherent unactivated state and anactivated state,

on radiating with a dose of activation electromagnetic radiation in arange of activation wavelengths the photochromic dye changing from theunactivated to the activated state,

with the photochromic dye in the unactivated state the photochromicportion having an inherent first transmission characteristic ofelectromagnetic radiation in a range of test wavelengths, and

with the photochromic dye in the activated state the photochromicportion having a second transmission characteristic of electromagneticradiation in the range of test wavelengths different than the firsttransmission characteristic,

the keying component serving a function in the operation of themechanism in addition to the function of providing the waveguide.Preferably, the keying component comprises a replacement component foran apparatus for dispensing material, the replacement component selectedfrom the group consisting of: (a) wherein the apparatus for dispensingmaterial is a dispenser for flowable material: (i) a chamber formingbody for a pump having a chamber for receiving a movable materialdisplacing element therein, (ii) a movable material displacing elementto be received in a chamber of a chamber forming body for a pump, (iii)a chamber forming body for a fluid rotary pump having a chamber forreceiving a rotatable fluid displacing element therein, (iv) a pumpimpeller, (v) a piston chamber forming body for a fluid piston pumphaving a chamber for slidably receiving a piston element coaxiallytherein, (vi) a piston element for a fluid piston pump, (vii) areservoir for containing flowable material to be dispensed, (viii) aconnecting collar for engagement about an outlet of a reservoir forcontaining flowable material to be dispensed to secure the reservoir toa conduit via which the flowable material is dispensed, (ix) a pumpassembly for a fluid dispenser, and (x) a reservoir assembly including areservoir containing material to be dispensed in which the reservoirhaving an outlet and a valve mechanism across the outlet; and (b)wherein the apparatus for dispensing material is a dispenser for sheetmaterial wound on in roll; (i) a roll about which the sheet material tobe dispensed is wound, and (ii) an engagement member on a roll aboutwhich the sheet material to be dispensed is wound, which engagementmember provides for operative coupling of the roll to the dispenser forsheet material.

In a second aspect, the present provides a method of controlling theoperation of a mechanism having a removable component removably coupledthereto, comprising the steps of:

selectively inputting input electromagnetic radiation into a waveguidecarried on a removable, replaceable component for transmission throughthe waveguide;

sensing transmitted electromagnetic radiation transmitted through thewaveguide; and

permitting operation of the dispensing mechanism only if the step ofsensing electromagnetic radiation determines that the waveguide includesa photochromic portion which contains a first photochromic dye which isactivated by a dose of first activation electromagnetic radiation in afirst range of activation wavelengths.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method ofcontrolling the operation of a mechanism having a removable componentremovably coupled thereto, comprising the steps of:

selectively inputting input electromagnetic radiation into a firstwaveguide carried on the removable, replaceable component fortransmission through the first waveguide;

sensing transmitted electromagnetic radiation transmitted through thefirst waveguide,

determining from the transmitted electromagnetic radiation sensed astransmitted through the first waveguide whether the first waveguideincludes a primary photoreactive portion which contains a photoreactivefirst dye,

the first dye when unactivated is activated by radiation with the doseof first activation electromagnetic radiation in the first range ofactivation wavelengths,

when the first dye is not activated, the primary portion having aninherent transmission characteristic for relative transmission ofelectromagnetic radiation in a first range of test wavelengths,

when the first dye is activated, the primary portion having an activatedfirst transmission characteristic for relative transmission ofelectromagnetic radiation in the first range of test wavelengthsdifferent from the inherent transmission characteristic of the primaryphotochromic portion, preferably the method including the steps of:

inputting into the first guideway for transmission through the firstwaveguide as input electromagnetic radiation the dose of the firstactivation electromagnetic radiation in the first range of activationwavelengths,

after inputting the dose of the first activation electromagneticradiation in the first range of activation wavelengths into the firstguideway: (i) further inputting into the first guideway for transmissionthrough the first waveguide as input electromagnetic radiation testelectromagnetic radiation in the first range of test wavelengths, (ii)sensing transmitted electromagnetic radiation transmitted through thefirst waveguide for electromagnetic radiation in the first range of testwavelengths and (iii) determining from the electromagnetic radiation inthe first range of test wavelengths sensed in step (ii) if the firstwaveguide has the first transmission characteristic of the portion, and(iv) if the first waveguide is determined in step (iii) to have thefirst transmission characteristic assuming the first waveguide includesthe primary photochromic portion and if the first waveguide isdetermined to have the inherent transmission characteristic of theprimary photochromic portion assuming the first waveguide does notincludes the primary photochromic portion, and

controlling operation of the mechanism dependant on whether the firstwaveguide is assumed to include the primary photochromic portion.

Preferably, in accordance with the third aspect of the invention, themethod includes determining from the transmitted electromagneticradiation sensed whether the first waveguide includes a photochromicportion which contains a photochromic second dye which has beenactivated by radiation with a dose of second activation electromagneticradiation in a second range of activation wavelengths,

the second dye when unactivated is activated by radiation with the doseof second activation electromagnetic radiation in the second range ofactivation wavelengths, and inherently returns to being unactivatedafter the passage of a second period of time from last being radiatedwith the dose of second activation electromagnetic radiation,

when the first dye is not activated and the second dye is not activated,the photochromic portion having the inherent transmission characteristicfor relative transmission of electromagnetic radiation in a first rangeof test wavelengths,

when the first dye is not activated and the second dye is activated, thephotochromic portion having an activated second transmissioncharacteristic for relative transmission of electromagnetic radiation inthe first range of test wavelengths different from the inherenttransmission characteristic,

inputting into the first guideway for transmission through the firstwaveguide as input electromagnetic radiation the dose of the secondactivation electromagnetic radiation in the second range of activationwavelengths,

in the second period of time after inputting the dose of the secondactivation electromagnetic radiation in the second range of activationwavelengths: (i) further inputting into the first guideway fortransmission through the first waveguide as input electromagneticradiation test electromagnetic radiation in the second range of testwavelengths, (ii) sensing transmitted electromagnetic radiationtransmitted through the first waveguide for electromagnetic radiation inthe second range of test wavelengths and (iii) determining from theelectromagnetic radiation in the second range of test wavelengths sensedin step (ii) if the first waveguide has one of the inherent transmissioncharacteristic and the second transmission characteristic, and (iv) ifthe first waveguide is determined in step (iii) to have the secondtransmission characteristic assuming the first waveguide includes thephotochromic portion and if the first waveguide is determined to havethe inherent transmission characteristic assuming the first waveguidedoes not includes the photochromic portion, and

controlling operation of the mechanism dependant on whether the firstwaveguide is assumed to include the photochromic portion.

Preferably, in accordance with the third aspect of the invention, theinvention includes selectively inputting input electromagnetic radiationinto a second waveguide carried on the removable, replaceable componentfor transmission through the second waveguide;

sensing transmitted electromagnetic radiation transmitted through thesecond waveguide,

determining from the transmitted electromagnetic radiation sensed astransmitted through the second waveguide whether the second waveguideincludes a secondary photochromic portion which contains a photochromicsecondary dye which has been activated by radiation with a dose ofsecondary activation electromagnetic radiation in a secondary range ofactivation wavelengths,

the secondary dye when unactivated is activated by radiation with thedose of secondary activation electromagnetic radiation in the secondaryrange of activation wavelengths, and inherently returns to beingunactivated after the passage of a secondary period of time from lastbeing radiated with the dose of secondary activation electromagneticradiation,

when the secondary dye is not activated, the secondary photochromicportion having an inherent transmission characteristic for relativetransmission of electromagnetic radiation in a first range of testwavelengths,

when the secondary dye is activated, the secondary photochromic portionhaving an activated secondary transmission characteristic for relativetransmission of electromagnetic radiation in the secondary range of testwavelengths different from the inherent transmission characteristic ofthe secondary photochromic portion,

inputting into the second guideway for transmission through the secondwaveguide as input electromagnetic radiation the dose of the secondaryactivation electromagnetic radiation in the secondary range ofactivation wavelengths,

in the secondary period of time after inputting the dose of thesecondary activation electromagnetic radiation in the secondary range ofactivation wavelengths into the second guideway: (i) further inputtinginto the second guideway for transmission through the second waveguideas input electromagnetic radiation test electromagnetic radiation in thesecondary range of test wavelengths, (ii) sensing transmittedelectromagnetic radiation transmitted through the second waveguide forelectromagnetic radiation in the secondary range of test wavelengths and(iii) determining from the electromagnetic radiation in the secondaryrange of test wavelengths sensed in step (ii) if the second waveguidehas the secondary transmission characteristic, and (iv) if the secondwaveguide is determined in step (iii) to have the inherent transmissioncharacteristic of the secondary photochromic portion assuming the secondwaveguide does not includes the secondary photochromic portion, and

controlling operation of the mechanism dependant on whether the secondwaveguide is assumed to include the secondary photochromic portion.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method ofcontrolling operation of a mechanism, preferably a dispenser, having aremovable component comprising the steps of measuring electromagneticradiation passing through a waveguide carried at least in part on theremovable component and controlling operation of the mechanism based onsensed electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the waveguide.Preferably, the method involves directing into the waveguide emittedelectromagnetic radiation with pre-selected input parameters selectedfrom a plurality of input parameters. The waveguide preferably isprovided with pre-selected radiation transmission properties selectedfrom a plurality of electromagnetic radiation transmission properties.The waveguide preferably includes a photochromic portion which hastransmission properties which can be varied. The input parameters andradiation transmission properties may be selected from wavelength,intensity, duration and placement in time. Preferably, the method isused to control the operation of a dispensing mechanism having as aremovable component a replaceable reservoir containing material to bedispensed by operation of the dispenser. Preferably, the waveguide is atleast partially carried by the reservoir and is coupled against removalto the reservoir or coupled to the reservoir in a manner that separationof the waveguide and the reservoir results in destruction of thewaveguide and/or the reservoir. Preferably, at least part of thewaveguide is carried on the removable component such that coupling oruncoupling of the removable component changes the transmissioncharacteristics of the waveguide as, for example, by the waveguidecomprising a frangible member broken on removal of the removablecomponent. Preferably, the removable component has a plurality ofwaveguides and the method includes measuring the electromagneticradiation passing through two or more of the waveguides, preferablypreventing operation of the dispenser when the measured electromagneticradiation of a first of two of the waveguides does not comply with itspre-selected output parameters and the measured electromagneticradiation of a second of two of the waveguides does not comply with itspre-selected output parameters.

The invention, in a fifth aspect, provides a dispensing system includinga reservoir assembly including a reservoir containing material to bedispensed in an activation unit. The reservoir assembly is removablycoupled to the activation unit for replacement by a similar reservoirassembly. An electromagnetic radiation waveguide is provided having aninlet and an outlet and providing a path for transmission ofelectromagnetic radiation from the inlet to the outlet. Anelectromagnetic radiation sensor is carried on the activation unitsensing electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide by the outlet. Atleast part of the waveguide is carried by the reservoir and removabletherewith. A control mechanism is provided to control operation of thedispenser depending upon whether the electromagnetic radiation sensed bythe sensor indicates that a portion of the waveguide carried on thereservoir is photochromic.

In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a method ofcontrolling the operation of a mechanism, preferably a dispenser, havinga removable component removably coupled thereto comprising the steps of:

measuring electromagnetic radiation passing through a waveguide carriedon a removable, replaceable component, and

permitting operation of the dispensing mechanism only when the measuredelectromagnetic radiation complies with one or more pre-selected outputparameters.

In a seventh aspect, the present invention provides a dispensing systemcomprising:

a reservoir assembly including a reservoir containing material to bedispensed and an activation unit,

the reservoir assembly removably coupled to the activation unit forreplacement by a similar reservoir assembly,

an electromagnetic radiation waveguide having an inlet and an outlet andproviding a path for transmission of electromagnetic radiation from theinlet to the outlet,

an electromagnetic radiation sensor carried by the activation unitsensing electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide via the outlet,

at least part of the waveguide carried by the reservoir assembly andremovable therewith,

a control mechanism to control operation of the dispenser based onwhether the electromagnetic radiation sensed by the sensor appropriatelycorrelates to pre-selected electromagnetic radiation profiles.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a replaceablereservoir assembly having a photochromic waveguide for use in adispensing system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be comeapparent from the following description taken together with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a dispenser assembly in accordance with afirst preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial exploded view of the dispenser assembly shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial view showing assembly of the reservoir assemblyand backplate assembly shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic pictorial side view showing the relativepositioning of the reservoir assembly and an activation unit in theassembled dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded pictorial view of the reservoir assembly shown inFIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view showing the assembled bottle, valve member,piston chamber forming member and piston shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial top rear view of the collar shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the dispenserassembly 10 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an exploded pictorial view of a second embodiment of a collarwhich, when assembled, would have external features identical to thatshown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a schematic pictorial view showing a third embodiment of acollar similar to that in FIG. 7 juxtapositioned with four keyemitters/sensors to be carried on the backplate assembly;

FIG. 11 is a schematic pictorial view similar to FIG. 10 but showing afourth embodiment of a collar;

FIG. 12 is a schematic exploded pictorial view similar to FIG. 10 butshowing a fifth embodiment of a collar with three alternate waveguideinserts for use therewith;

FIG. 13 is a schematic pictorial view of a sixth embodiment of a collaralso schematically showing a key emitter and key sensor to be carried ona backplate assembly;

FIG. 14 is a schematic pictorial view of a seventh embodiment of acollar also schematically illustrating four key emitters/key sensors tobe carried on the backplate assembly;

FIG. 15 is a schematic pictorial view of a selective optical couplingdevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a radial cross-section through one side of the wall of thecollar shown in FIG. 7 along section line A-A′;

FIG. 17 is a cross-section similar to that shown in FIG. 16, however,along section line B-B′ in FIG. 7;

FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-section similar to that shown in FIG. 16 or17, however, of a reduced cross-sectional area frangible portion of thewall of the collar;

FIG. 19 is a schematic pictorial representation of a section of awaveguide comprised of three modular waveguide members;

FIG. 20 is a schematic exploded pictorial view of the waveguide membersof FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 shows a seventh embodiment of a collar similar to that shown inFIG. 7 and together with a board carrying a sensor and an emitter;

FIG. 22 shows a top view of the collar and board in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional side view alongsection line C-C′ in FIG. 22 showing the collar in cross-section andalso showing in cross-section, a schematic catch arrangement;

FIG. 24 shows an eight embodiment of a collar and a board carrying asensor and an emitter similar to that shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a schematic pictorial view of a reservoir bottle similar tothat shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 26 is a schematic cross-section through a frangible member carriedon the reservoir bottle of FIG. 25 showing positioning of a sensor andan emitter;

FIG. 27 is a schematic cross-section along section line A-A′ in FIG. 25and showing the cross-section reservoir in conjunction with a furtherembodiment of an emitter and scanner in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 28 is a pictorial rear view of a reservoir bottle similar to thatshown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view through the neck of the reservoirshown in FIG. 28 and illustrating a further embodiment of an emitter andsensor in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 30 comprises a vertical cross-section through a piston as shown inFIG. 5, however, showing the piston engaged with a presser member and anarrangement of emitters and sensors in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a fluid dispenser inaccordance with a further embodiment of the invention havingsimilarities to the dispenser illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 26;

FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a fluiddispenser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a partial cross-sectional side view through the fluiddispenser of FIG. 32 in an assembled condition;

FIG. 34 is an exploded pictorial rear view of the pump assembly of thedispenser shown in FIG. 32;

FIG. 35 is a partial cross-sectional front view through the fluiddispenser of FIG. 32;

FIG. 36 is a schematic pictorial view of an automatic paper dispenser inaccordance with a further aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional front view through theaxis of a roll of paper received in the paper dispenser of FIG. 36; and

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional front view the same as in FIG. 36 but of adifferent embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is made to FIG. 1 which illustrates a dispenser assembly 10 inaccordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.The dispenser assembly 10, as best seen in FIG. 2, includes a removablereservoir assembly 12 adapted to be secured to a housing formed by acombination of a backplate assembly 14, a presser member 15 and a shroud16. The backplate assembly 14 has a generally forwardly directedfaceplate 17 from which a horizontally disposed support plate 18 extendsforwardly supported by two side plates 19. The presser member 15 ispivotally mounted to the backplate assembly 14 between the two sideplates 19 with stub axles 20 received in journaling bores 21 in each ofthe side plates 19. The housing is completed by the shroud 16 beingcoupled to the backplate assembly 14 to substantially enclose thesupport plate 18 and the presser member 15. The reservoir assembly 12 isadapted to removably couple to the assembled housing.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the reservoir assembly 12 comprises a reservoirbottle 22, a pump assembly 25 and a key collar 26. The bottle 22 has athreaded neck 27 about an outlet 28. A locking tab 29 extends forwardlyand axially relative to the threaded neck 27 and is of generallyrectangular shape in horizontal, axial cross-section having flatparallel side faces and an end face normal thereto. The pump assembly 25includes a piston chamber-forming member 30 having an outer flange 31which is internally threaded such that the outer flange 31 may bethreadably engaged onto the threaded neck 27. The pump assembly 25further includes a piston 32 and a valve member 33. The piston 32 isreciprocally movable coaxially within a cylindrical chamber formedwithin the piston chamber-forming member 30 so as to dispense fluid frominside the bottle 22 out of the outlet 28 internally through the piston32 and out a discharge opening 34 of the outer end of the piston 32.

The bottle 22 and pump assembly 25 is shown assembled in FIG. 6. To theassembly as shown in FIG. 6, the key collar 26 is applied by sliding thecollar 26 axially upwardly such that the collar 26 comes to be engagedin a snap-fit upon the outer flange 31 against removal from the outerflange 31 and with the locking tab 29 engaging in a slotway 46 on thecollar 26 so as to prevent rotation of the collar 26 relative to thebottle 22. As seen in FIG. 7, the collar 26 has an axial upper end 35and an axial lower end 36 with a central, generally cylindrical opening37 extending therethrough. A generally cylindrical side wall 38 aboutthe opening 37 carries approximate the lower end 36 three radiallyinwardly extending lower shoulder members 39 presenting stop shoulders80 directed axially toward the upper end 35. Approximate the upper end35, the side wall 38 includes three radially inwardly directed uppershoulder members 40. The upper shoulder members 40 have a catch surface81 directed towards the lower end 36 and a bevelled camming surface 82directed towards the upper end 35. On sliding of the collar 26 coaxiallyupwardly onto the outer flange 31, the camming surface 82 of the uppershoulder members 40 engage with an outer lower surface 83 of the outerflange 31 biasing the upper shoulder members 40 radially outwardly topermit the outer flange 31 to move relative the collar 26 axially towardthe lower end 36 into the opening 37 of the collar 26. Once an upper end84 of the outer flange 31 becomes located below the upper shouldermember 40, the upper shoulder member 40 returns to its inherent unbiasedposition with the catch surface 81 disposed above the upper end 84 ofthe outer flange 31 radially inwardly therefrom thus locking the outerflange 31 between the stop shoulders 80 of the lower shoulder member 39and the catch surface 81 of the upper shoulder member 40.

The collar 26 carries on its upper end 35 a pair of upwardly extendinglock tabs 45 providing a slotway 46 therebetween. The slotway 46 issized to closely receive the locking tab 29 of the bottle 22therebetween. When coupling the collar 26 onto the assembled bottle 22and pump assembly 25, the slotway 46 is circumferentially aligned withthe locking tab 29 on the bottle 22 such that the reservoir assembly 12when fully assembled as shown in FIG. 2 has the locking tab 29 on thebottle 22 received within the slotway 46 preventing relative rotation ofthe collar 26 and bottle 12. In the reservoir assembly 12 as shown inFIG. 2, the piston chamber-forming member 30 and the collar 26 aresecured to the bottle 22 against removal. That is, the key collar 26 andpiston chamber-forming member 30 are preferably secured on the bottle 22substantially against removal other than by significant breaking ordeformation of the bottle 22 or key collar 26.

The extent to which removal or attempted removal of the collar 26 and/orpump assembly 25 is possible or is not possible, or may requiredestruction of one or more of the bottle 22, key collar 26 or pistonchamber-forming member 30 can be selected as desired. For example, atthe time of assembly, the bottle 22, piston chamber forming member 30and collar 26 can be permanently secured together as with glue or bysonic welding.

In a preferred embodiment, the interior side wall 38 of the collar 26may be knurled with axially extending alternating ribs and slotways onlypartially shown at 170 in FIG. 7 such that a complementarily knurledouter surface of the outer flange 31 having axially extendingalternating ribs and slotways may couple with ribs on the side wall 38preventing relative rotation of the piston chamber-forming member 30relative to the collar 26 once the collar is applied.

With the backplate assembly 14, presser member 15 and shroud 16assembled and, for example, secured to a wall, the assembled reservoirassembly 12 may be coupled thereto by the reservoir assembly 12 movingvertically downwardly relative the backplate assembly 14 with the collarmember 26 and pump assembly 25 to pass vertically downwardly through anopening 190 in the plate 18, and the entire reservoir assembly 12 thenbeing urged rearwardly to engage a rear support portion 191 of the plate18 above the collar 26 and below a lower shoulder 192 on the bottleplacing the piston 32 into a position for coupling with or in which itis coupled with the presser member 15. Removal of the reservoir assembly12 is accomplished by reversed movement forwardly then upwardly.

The backplate assembly 14 includes and carries an activation unit 48best seen in FIG. 4. The activation unit 48 includes as onlyschematically shown in FIG. 8, an electric motor 49 which rotates via aseries of gears 50, a drive wheel 51 carrying an eccentrically mountedaxially extending cam post 52 shown in FIG. 4. The cam post 52 couplesto an inner end of the presser member 15 such that in rotation of thedrive wheel 51 in one full revolution, the presser member 15 is pivotedabout its stub axles 20 downwardly and then upwardly, returning to thesame position. The presser member 15 is coupled to the piston 32 byengagement between catch members (not shown) carried by the pressermember 15 with an engagement flange 54 on the piston 32. Such catchmembers and engagement may be similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No.5,373,970 to Ophardt dated Dec. 20, 1994, the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference, which engagement necessarily resultson coupling of the reservoir assembly 12 with the backplate assembly 14.

In one cycle of operation, the motor 49 is operated so as to rotate thedrive wheel 51 360 degrees and thus move the piston 32 in a singlestroke inwardly and outwardly to dispense an allotment of fluid from thebottle 22. The motor 49 is an electric motor and its operation may becontrolled by a control mechanism receiving various inputs. Theactivation unit 48 shown is adapted to be used as a touchless dispenserin which the presence of a user's hand below the presser member 15underneath the discharge outlet 34 is sensed by a hand sensing systemincluding an electromagnetic radiation emitter 53 located at the bottomfront of the activator unit 48 to direct radiation downwardly andforwardly towards the position the user's hand is to be placed and anelectromagnetic radiation sensor 54 also located near the bottom frontof the activation unit 48 adapted to sense radiation reflected off theuser's hand. The hand sensing system, on suitable receipt of reflectedradiation from the hand, provides a suitable signal to the controlmechanism indicating the presence of the hand, for example, satisfyingat least one condition for operation of the motor.

While the use of a hand sensing mechanism involving electromagneticemitter 53 and sensor 54 is illustrated, many other systems may beprovided to provide a primary indication that fluid should be dispensed.For example, these could include providing a simple on/off switch to bemanually activated, or a requirement for identification as by use of afingerprint as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,238 toOphardt, issued Mar. 27, 2001.

The activation unit 48 also includes portions of an optical key systemtowards determining if the reservoir assembly 12 is compatible with theactivation unit 48, that is, whether the reservoir assembly 12 meetspre-selected criteria to permit use with the activation unit 48. Theactivation unit 48 includes an electromagnetic radiation key emitter 55and an electromagnetic radiation key sensor 56. Each is provided on thefront face of the activation unit 48 on an upper portion of theactivation unit and directed forwardly. As best seen in FIG. 2, the keyemitter 55 includes a generally cylindrical shroud 57 about its lamp andthe key sensor 56 includes a similar shroud 58 about its sensor, whichshrouds 57 and 58 substantially prevent any transmission ofelectromagnetic radiation therethrough and effectively serve todirectionalize the key emitter 55 and key sensor 56 so as to restrictemissions or receptions of either to light passing through the outer endof the shrouds 57 and 58. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, the collar 26has two arms 60 and 61 which extend rearwardly from the collar 26 towardeach of the key emitter 55 and key sensor 57. The collar 26 provides anelectromagnetic radiation waveguide from an end face 62 at the end ofarm 60 through the collar 26 to the face 63 at the end of the arm 61providing an outlet to the waveguide. The waveguide is schematicallyillustrated in dashed lines as 64 in FIG. 7 as extending in a generallyU-shape within a U-shaped rim 65 of material disposed proximate theupper end 35 of the collar 26 about its outer periphery.

Referring to FIG. 4, electromagnetic radiation emitted by the keyemitter 55 enters the waveguide 64 via the inlet end face 62 and isconducted via the waveguide 64 through the collar 26 withelectromagnetic radiation to exit the waveguide 64 via the outlet endface 63 with the radiation exiting the waveguide via the outlet end face63 to be sensed by the key sensor 56. The activation unit 48 includes akey control system under which as a prerequisite to dispensing, havingregard to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the key emitter 55,the electromagnetic radiation sensed by the key sensor 56 is to complywith one or more pre-selected parameters. As by way of a non-limitingexample, the key emitter 55 may emit electromagnetic radiation within aselected range of wave lengths and, in the absence of the key sensor 56sensing electromagnetic radiation within the range of emitted radiation,the motor 49 may not be permitted to operate. Thus, in the simplestcase, should a non-compliant reservoir assembly 12 which has the bottle22, pump assembly 25 but not the collar 26, be coupled to the backplateassembly 14 and would not have a waveguide, the radiation of a selectedwavelength emitted by key emitter 55 would not be directed to or sensedby the key sensor 56 and the control mechanism of the activation unitwould not permit dispensing.

In the preferred embodiment, the collar 26 may preferably be formed asby injection moulding from a plastic material which permits transmissionof electromagnetic radiation therethrough. As is known to a personskilled in the art, various plastic materials such as polycarbonateplastics can be used which provide a resultant product havingelectromagnetic radiation transmitting properties. Radiation which mayenter the light transmitting collar 26 as by being directed normal tothe inlet end face 62 will, to some extent, be reflected internally byreason of such light impinging at relatively low angles on the externalsurfaces of the collar forming effectively the sides of the wave guide.A portion of the radiation directed into the collar 26 is passed throughthe collar 26 as around the U-shaped external rim 65 with someproportion of the radiation to be directed substantially perpendicularto the exit end face 63 to exit the waveguide and be sensed by the keysensor 56.

The collar 26 may be formed as unitary element all from the sameradiation transmitting properties or may be formed from a number ofdifferent materials. For example, to increase internal reflection,exterior surfaces of the collar 26 especially about the rim 65 could becoated with a reflective material other than on the inlet end face 62and the outlet end face 63. The collar 26 may be formed such that merelya U-shaped portion of the collar, for example, substantiallycorresponding to the U-shaped rim 65 may comprise light transmittingmaterials and the remainder of the collar may be formed of other plasticmaterials.

The collar 26 may be formed to incorporate therein one or morepre-existing optical fibres, for example, disposed to extend internallywithin the U-shaped rim as with an inlet end of an optical fibre to bepresented at the inlet end face 62 and an outlet end of the opticalfibre to be presented at an outlet end face 63.

Reference is made to FIG. 9 which shows a second embodiment of a collar26 in accordance with the present invention which will have, whenassembled, an identical appearance to the collar 26 shown in FIG. 7. Thecollar 26 as shown in FIG. 9 is formed from three pieces, namely, a base66, a top 67 and an optical fibre member 68. The base 66 and top 67 areinjection moulded from plastic and are adapted to snap-fit togetheragainst separation. The base 66 has an upwardly directed U-shaped halfchannel 69 formed therein and the top 67 has a similar downwardlydirected U-shaped half channel 96. The optical fibre 68 is positionedsandwiched between the base 66 and top 77 received between the halfchannel member 69 carried on the base and the half channel member 96carried on the top. The optical fibre 68 has a first end 97 open to theend face 62 of the arm 60 and a second end 98 open to the end face 63 ofthe arm 61 such that the optical fibre member 68 provides the waveguidethrough the collar 26. In the assembled collar 26, the optical fibremember 68 is secured within the collar 26 against removal. The opticalfibre member 68 may comprise a short length of a conventional opticalfibre or may preferably comprise an extrusion of plastic material havingappropriate light transmitting properties such as a cylindricalextrusion of flexible polycarbonate or other plastic.

The channelway which is formed by combination of the half channels 69and 96 may preferably have adjacent each end face 62 and 63 a portportion of restricted cross-sectional closely sized to tightly hold eachend of the optical fibre member 68 therein and with interior portions ofthe channelway interior from the port portions of increased diameter tofacilitate easy insertion of interior portions of the optical fibremembers 68.

Reference is made to FIG. 10 which illustrates a third embodiment of acollar 26. As seen in FIG. 10, at the rear end of the collar 26, aninternal compartment 102 is provided closed at its rear by a rear wall110 having four port portions 111, 112, 113 and 114 therethrough. Twooptical fibre members 105 and 106 are shown. Each optical fibre has afirst end secured in one of the port portions and a second end securedin another of the port portions such that each optical fibre memberprovides a respective waveguide from one port portion to a second portportion. Opposite each of the port portions, four elements 211, 212, 213and 214 are schematically shown, each of which is intended toschematically illustrate either a key emitter or a key sensor to becarried on an activation unit such as shown, for example, in FIG. 4suitably located in front of a respective of the port portions. Of thefour elements, preferably, at least one comprises an emitter and atleast one comprises a sensor. In one preferred embodiment, each of theseelements may each comprise either an emitter or a sensor or, preferably,both. Preferably, each of the elements 211, 212, 213 and 214 are carriedon a computerized control circuit permitting selected operation of eachof the elements either as an emitter or a sensor or to be inoperative.Such an activation unit can be electronically keyed to adopt aparticular configuration of sensors and emitters.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, two optical fibre members 105and 106 are shown. It is to be appreciated that merely one optical fibremember need to be provided. For example, a single optical fibre membercould be provided to connect any two of the port portions. For example,an optical fibre could have one end connected to the port portion 111and a second end connected to any one of the port portions 112, 113 or114. In a simple configuration, the element 121 could be programmed tobe a key emitter and a selected one of the elements 212, 213 and 214could be selected to be a sensor having regard to the corresponding portportion to which the end of a single optical fibre member may beconnected. The collar member thus, by suitable positioning of theoptical fibre member, may be configured to provide a waveguide at amatching location. If desired, a second optical fibre member could beused to couple the remaining two of the port portions which are notassumed by the first optical fibre member as seen in FIG. 10.

Each of the optical fibres which is used may have different radiationtransmission characteristics. For example, one of the optical fibremembers may be tinted blue such that that optical fibre serves as afilter to prevent passage therethrough of light which is not within arange of corresponding blue wavelengths. Similarly, the other opticalfibre could be tinted red and yellow so as to act as filters merelypermitting the passage of red or yellow wavelength light.

Reference is made to FIG. 11 which illustrates a fourth embodiment of awave guide in accordance with the present invention similar to thatshown in FIG. 10, however, incorporating three different optical fibres105, 106 and 107. Additionally, each of the port portions 111, 112, 113and 114 are each shown as having three opening therethrough, each ofwhich opening is adapted to receive the end of one optical fibre member.Thus, up to three optical fibre members can be received in each portportion. In the particular configuration shown in FIG. 11, a first endof each of the three optical fibres is connected to the port portion111, however, merely one end of a different one of the three opticalfibres is connected to each of the ports 112, 113 and 114. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 11 as one preferred non-limiting example,the optical fibre 105 preferably is tinted blue so as to act as a filterand prevent the passage of light other than of corresponding bluewavelength light therethrough. The optical fibre 106 is tinted red andacts as a filter to prevent the passage of light other thancorresponding red wavelength light therethrough. The optical fibre 107is tinted yellow and acts as a filter to prevent the passage of lightother than corresponding yellow wavelength light therethrough. Theelement 211 may be adapted to selectively emit light containing all ofblue, red and yellow light or merely one or more of blue, red or yellowlight at different times and each of the sensors 212, 213 and 217 willlook at an appropriate time for light, the absence of light of anywavelength or, alternatively, light at a selected blue, red and/oryellow wavelength.

Reference is made to FIG. 12 which illustrates a fifth embodiment of acollar member 26 having similarities to that illustrated in FIG. 10,however, in which the optical fibre members have been removed and are tobe replaced by one of the three waveguide inserts shown as 171, 172 and173 in schematic exploded perspective in FIG. 15. Each of the waveguideinserts is preferably injection moulded from a light transmittingmaterial such as polycarbonate. Insert 171 is adapted to provide lighttransmission from the portal portion 111 to the portal portion 114. Aninsert 172 is adapted to be inserted as shown to provide communicationbetween portal 111 and portal 113 or if inverted 180 degrees to providecommunication between portal 112 and portal 114. Insert 173 is adaptedto provide communication between portals 112 and 113. By the suitableselection of a relatively simple injection moulded plastic insert 171,172 or 173, the collar member 26 may be configured to have a desiredwaveguide therein. Each of the inserts may be provided to have differentradiation transmission properties and may, for example, act as a colourfilter. Each insert 171, 172 and 173 is sized to closely fit inside thecompartment 102 with side locating tabs 174 provided to extend theside-to-side dimension of inserts 172 and 173. Each insert has two faces176 and 177 to serve as an inlet/outlet to its waveguide relative itsrespective portals. Curved portions 178 and 179 of the wall of theinsets opposite the faces 176 and 177 assist in directing radiationinternally from one face to the other.

Reference is made to FIG. 13 which schematically illustrates a sixthembodiment of the collar and key sensing system in accordance with thepresent invention. As seen in FIG. 13, the collar 26 is identical to thecollar in the first embodiment of FIG. 7 with the exception that thearms 60 and 61 are removed and a key member 70 is provided to extendrearwardly. The actuation unit 48 is modified such that a key emitter 71is located to one side of the key member 70 directing radiation sidewaysthrough the key member 70 and a key sensor 72 is on the other side ofthe key member 70 directed sideways. In this manner, the key emitter 71directs radiation into an inlet face 74 on one side of the key member 70and the key sensor 72 senses radiation passing outwardly through anoutlet face 75 on the other side of the key member 70. The key member 70preferably provides a waveguide for transmission of electromagneticradiation. As one non-limiting example, the waveguide may include awaveguide which acts like a filter which substantially prevents anytransmission of radiation therethrough of light of a first certaincharacteristic or wavelength yet lets light of a second characteristicor wavelength pass through, and the key sensor 72 at the time light ofboth the first and second certain characteristic or wavelengths isemitted by the key emitter 71 looks for the absence of light of thefirst characteristic or wavelength and the presence of light of thesecond characteristic or wavelength.

With the key member 70 located in a vertical slotway between the keyemitter 71 and the key sensor 72, their engagement can prevent relativerotation of the reservoir assembly 12 relative the backplate assembly14.

While the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13 shows a collar merely withthe key members, it is to be appreciated that a modified collar could beprovided in having both the arms 64 and 65 providing a first waveguideand the key block providing a second guide and that two separate keyemitters may be provided and two separate key sensors may be provided.

Reference is made to FIG. 14 which illustrates a seventh embodiment of akey member in accordance with the present invention which has featuressimilar to those shown in FIG. 7 and in FIG. 13. In FIG. 14, a centralkey member 70 is provided serving as a waveguide for passage ofradiation laterally therethrough. On either side of the key member 70,there are provided a pair of waveguide extensions 151 and 152 adapted tobe securely carried on the backplate assembly. Each waveguide extensionincludes an outer face 153 or 154 directed laterally towards arespective face 74 or 75 of the key member 70 and an inner end 155 or156 directed rearwardly and adapted for optical coupling with a keyemitter/sensor element 71 or 72 also carried on the backplate assembly.As in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the collar 26 includes at the end ofeach arm 60 and 61, end faces 62 and 63 served to be optically coupledwith two key emitters/sensors 56 and 57 carried on the activation unit.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, a portion of the waveguide isprovided as the waveguide extensions 151 and 152 on the activation unitand a portion of the waveguide is provided as the key member 40 on thecollar member 26.

Reference is made to FIG. 15 which illustrates a selective opticalcoupling mechanism illustrating a pair of key emitter or sensor elements56 and 57 disposed opposite to optical first windows 163, 164 carried ina coupling unit 165. The coupling unit 165 is a generally rectangularshaped member with a pair of cavities 166, 167 having a narrow end 168open to the first windows 163, 164 and a wide end 169 open to secondwindows 181, 182, 183 with two for each of the cavities. A waveguidemember 184 having a generally parallelogram shape is adapted to bereceived within either cavity 166 or 167 in a position which connects afirst window to one of the second windows. The waveguide member 184 canbe rotated 180 degrees and placed in a cavity so as to provide awaveguide between a first window at the first end and a different otherof the second window at the second end. Such an arrangement can beprovided either in a cavity in the collar member 26 or in a portion of acavity on the activation unit and thus can form another method formechanically selecting a relative path of a portion of the waveguideeither carried by the collar 26 or the activation member 48.

It is to be appreciated that different waveguide members 184 may havedifferent properties such as different abilities to transmit, filter,block or polarize electromagnetic radiation passed therethrough. Forexample, a plurality of such members could be provided of differenttinted colours, blue, red, yellow, green and the like and provide simplemembers which can be readily manually inserted to a customizedactivation member or a collar member for a particular desiredconfiguration.

In accordance with the present invention, the electromagnetic radiationmay be selected having regard to pre-selected parameters. Theseparameters may include radiation within one or more ranges ofwavelengths, electromagnetic radiation within one or more ranges ofintensity, polarized electromagnetic radiation, and electromagneticradiation within one or more ranges of duration and at one or moredifferent points in time.

The waveguide which is provided may have electromagnetic radiationtransmitted properties selected from a plurality of properties andincluding the ability to transmit one or more ranges of wavelengths andor the ability to block one or more ranges of wavelengths, the abilityto restrict the intensity of electromagnetic radiation which can betransmitted through the waveguide, preferably, as a function of most ofthe waveguide. The transmission properties may restrict the transmissionof radiation having a first range of wavelengths yet permit transmissionof radiation having a range of second wavelengths.

Reference is made to FIGS. 16 and 17 which illustrate cross-sectionsthrough the collar 26 shown in FIG. 7 along section lines A and B,respectively, in axially extending planes which extend radially from acenter through the central opening 37. In each of FIGS. 16 and 17, theradially extending rim 65 is shown as rectangular in cross-sectioncontaining and effectively forming throughout the inner rectangularcross-sectional area of the rim 65 the waveguide 64.

FIG. 18 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional similar to that shown inFIGS. 16 and 17, however, at a cross-sectional point in between sectionlines A and B at a point in between a circumferential end of theshoulder member 40 and before the stop shoulder 80 is provided. Thecross-sectional area shown in FIG. 18 superimposes a dashed line showingthe outline of the cross-section of FIG. 17. The cross-section in FIG.18 is of a considerably reduced cross-sectional area compared to thatshown in either FIG. 16 or 17. That circumferential portion of thecollar 26 represented by the cross-section of FIG. 18 comprises, ineffect, a frangible portion. Insofar as a person may attempt to removethe collar 26 from engagement on the reservoir assembly,circumferentially applied forces on being transmitted to the reducedcross-sectional segment shown in FIG. 18 will result in breaking andrupture of the collar through this reduced cross-sectional area, thus,breaking and rupturing the wave guide 64. In FIG. 18, thecross-sectional area of the waveguide 64 is shown to be a reduced sizedtriangular portion compared to the rectangular area shown in FIGS. 16and 17. The cross-sectional area of the waveguide through the frangibleportion is selected to be adequate to permit radiation to pass throughthe waveguide in normal use. When the collar member 26 may be broken bycircumferential severing through the reduced cross-sectional areaportion of FIG. 18, the waveguide 64 will be broken with the brokenwaveguide preferably preventing or impairing the ability of thewaveguide to transfer radiation through the break point. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 18, it is expected that initial fracturemay occur in the lower portion below the triangular waveguide which mayassist in splitting through the waveguide from the lower apex of thetriangular waveguide upwardly to a wider portion at the top.

Many modifications and variations of frangible waveguides or waveguideswhich will break if a collar is attempted to be physically removed canbe envisioned. For example, in the context of a waveguide whichincorporates a pre-existing optical fibre member such as shown in FIG.9, a mechanism can be structured to sever the optical fibre member as arequirement of removal of the collar.

Reference is made to FIG. 19 which illustrates a schematic pictorialview of a portion of a waveguide 200 formed from three modular waveguideelements 201, 202 and 203. The waveguide element 201 has a first endface 210 and a second end face 211. The member 201 is a constantcross-sectional shape between the end faces. As schematicallyillustrated by the parallel lines 212, the guide wave member 201 ispolarized so as to restrict light passing between the end faces 210 and211 to being light which propagates parallel to each other in a certaindirection. Waveguide member 212 is identical to waveguide member 210,however, is shown in the embodiment as rotated 90 degrees such that ithas the schematic parallel lines 212 of waveguide member 202 isperpendicular to the parallel lines 212 on the waveguide member 201.When arranged in this configuration as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, thewaveguide members 201 and 202 effectively block all light transmissiontherethrough. Waveguide member 203 is shown as a similarly sizedwaveguide member which may be selected, for example, to be of aparticular colour such as the colour blue. The waveguide members 201,202 and 203 are each modular members which can be replaced orsubstituted by other members and thus by simple insertion or removal ofdifferent modular members provide for different light transmissioncharacteristics of the resultant waveguide. While the waveguide member203 is shown as being of a particular colour, it is to be appreciatedthat each of the waveguides 201 and 202 could be provided as modularelements in a plurality of different colours.

Each of the waveguide members 201, 202 and 203 may be stackedimmediately adjacent to each other and, for example, to form a centralportion of the replaceable waveguide 184 is shown in FIG. 15. It is tobe appreciated that in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 15, acoupling unit similar to 165 could be provided as with a rectangularrecess so as to receive each of the three waveguide members 201, 202 and203 aligned in a row.

One or more of the waveguide members 201, 202 and 203 may be provided aspart of a waveguide on the activation unit and any one or more of thewaveguide members 201, 202 or 203 or other similar modular waveguidemembers may be provided on the collar 26. Further, insofar as thewaveguide may have different abilities to polarize light passingtherethrough, such a waveguide may be used with either an emitter ofpolarized light or a sensor sensitive to polarized light.

The use of a plurality of different modular guide members such as 201,202 and 203 to form the waveguide can provide a simplistic mechanism forcustomizing the waveguide to have selected key features.

In the preferred embodiments illustrated, for example, in FIG. 4, incombination with a suitable waveguide, there is shown both a key emitter55 and a key sensor 56. It is not necessary in accordance with thepresent invention that a key emitter 55 be provided. The electromagneticradiation to pass through the waveguide and be sensed by the key sensormay originate from an external light source such as, for example, theambient light in any environment, for example, ambient light fromlighting within a washroom or natural sunlight. For example, as seen inFIG. 1, the front portion of the shroud 16 indicated as 220 in FIG. 1could be provided to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethroughwhich may impinge on a frontmost surface 221 of the collar 26 as shownin FIG. 2 which could be flattened and directed forwardly so as toprovide an entry point for light into the waveguide contained in thecollar. In this case, merely the radiation sensor 56 need be provided.

Alternatively, entrance for ambient air to the waveguide could beprovided at the sides or bottom of the waveguide through a suitable facein the waveguide disposed to permit entry into the waveguide ofelectromagnetic radiation from an external source. As another example,in the context of FIG. 2, the bottle and fluid within the bottle 22 maybe provided to be electromagnetic radiation transmitting with light topass downwardly through the bottle 22 through the lower shoulder 192 anddown onto an upwardly directed surface of the collar 26. The waveguidemay then comprise the walls and shoulder of the bottle 22, the fluid inthe bottle as well as the collar 26. Suitable selection of the radiationtransmission properties therefore of the bottle walls and bottom and thefluid to be dispensed can be utilized in establishing pre-selectedkeying features.

Insofar as light may pass downwardly through the shoulder 192 in thebottle 22 to the collar 26, it would be possible to incorporate acomponent of the pump assembly such as a radially outwardly extendingflange of the piston chamber-forming member 30 as being part of thewaveguide and in such an event, the waveguide might incorporate a pathdownwardly through the shoulder 192 of the bottle past or through thesupport plate 18 and axially through the outer flange 31 of the pistonchamber-forming member 30 as to a portion of the waveguide as to asensor disposed axially below the outer flange 31. Preferably, thewaveguide would be at least partially through the collar 26 at someportion such as axially through the collar or radially outwardly througha portion of the collar 26 which would serve as a waveguide to couplelight from the outer flange 31 to a sensor carried on the activationunit 12.

Rather than use ambient light to pass through portions of the bottleand/or fluid in the bottle, a separate emitter could be provided as, forexample, to pass radiation downwardly or sideways or otherwise whichwould pass through a portion of the bottle and/or the fluid in thebottle to be received by a sensor.

As to the nature of electromagnetic radiation to be used, manyconventionally available sensors and/or emitters are available for usein emitting and sensing electromagnetic radiation in the visible lightspectrum. This is not necessary, however, and electromagnetic radiationoutside the visible spectrum may be used. This could be advantageous as,for example, to mask the nature of any modular components which maycomprise a portion of a waveguide. For example, whether or not anymodular waveguide element may appear to have a visible colour such asblue, red or yellow, insofar as it is adapted for transmission ofnon-visible electromagnetic radiation, then the presence or absence ofcolour in the modular unit could assist in fooling an imitator.

Reference is made to FIG. 21 showing a key collar 26 similar to thatshown in FIG. 7 but for a few differences. Firstly, the lock tabs 45 ofthe collar 26 in FIG. 7 have been removed for simplicity inillustration. Providing such locking tabs are preferred, however, thelocking tabs need not as in the context of FIG. 7 be provided on thefront of the collar facing outwardly but could be provided at otherlocations as on the rear of the collar diametric to the position shown,for example, in FIG. 7. Secondly, as seen in FIG. 21, bridging betweenthe arm 60 and the arm 61, there is provided a thin frangible member220.

FIG. 21 shows in addition to the key collar 26, a separate board 218which carries a key emitter 55 and a key sensor 56. Arm 60 includes anend face 62 normal to the key emitter 66 which face 62 is engaged by thekey emitter with the end face 62 generally normal to the key emitter 55.Arm 61 includes an end face 63 which is shown as being normal to the keysensor 56 and is engaged by the key sensor. The arm 60 includes areflecting outer side shoulder surface 222 disposed at 45 degrees to theend face 62. Arm 61 similarly includes a reflecting outer side shouldersurface 223 at 45 degrees to the end face 63. The arms 60 and 61 arejoined by a bridge member 221 formed by a projection 224, the frangiblemember 220 and a projection 225. The arm 60 has the projection 224extending laterally inwardly to an end face 226 disposed normal to theend face 62. The arm 61 similarly has the projection 225 extendinglaterally inwardly to an end face 227 normal to the end face 63 andspaced from and opposed from the end face 226. The frangible member 220extends between the end face 226 and the end face 227 normal to each endface. The frangible member 220 has a cross-sectional area significantlyless than the cross-sectional area of either of the projection 224 orthe projection 225 measured parallel the end faces 226 and 227.

The frangible member 220 is preferably formed integrally with the keycollar 26 as by injection moulding from plastic.

FIG. 22 in top view schematically illustrates two paths that radiationmay take on being transmitted through the key collar 26 from the keyemitter 55 to the key sensor 56. A dashed line indicates a shorteroptical path 64 in which radiation from the key emitter 55 perpendicularto the end face 62 is reflected off the shoulder surface 222 extendsthrough the projection 224, through the frangible member 220, throughthe projection 225, is reflected off the shoulder surface 223 and passesthrough the arm 61 normal the end face 63 to be sensed by the key sensor56. An alternate longer optical path 264 is shown in dashed lines inFIG. 22 as extending internally of the arm 60 and around thecircumference of the key collar 26 and, hence, via the arm 61 to the keysensor 55.

Reference is made to FIG. 23 which illustrates a cross-sectional sideview along section C-C′ in FIG. 22 through the frangible member 220 andwhich therefore shows the projection 224 not in cross-section. FIG. 23schematically illustrates, as seen in cross-section, a pair of resilientcatch members 230 and 231 secured to the activation unit 48 similar tothe type shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, coupling of the key collar 26 tothe activation unit 48 is accomplished by rearward sliding of the keycollar 26 towards the activation unit 48 in a direction indicated by thearrow 239.

The two resilient catch members 230 and 231 are schematically shown incross-section as secured to the activation unit 48. Each catch member230 and 231 has a forwardly directed cam surface 232 and 233,respectively, which on relative rearward movement of the key collar 26will engage the frangible member 220 and cause deflection of theresilient catch members 230 and 231 upwardly or downwardly out of thepath of the frangible member 220 until the frangible member 220 isreceived rearward of the respective catch shoulders 234 and 235 on eachof the catch members 230 and 231, whereupon the catch members 230 and231 will under their inherent bias move to assume a latched position asshown in FIG. 23 with their catch shoulders 234 and 235 disposedforwardly of a forward surface of the frangible member 220.

With removal of the key collar 26 by forward sliding of the key collaraway from the activation unit 48, the catch members 230 and 231 willengage the frangible member 220 and prevent its forward movement. Thefrangible member 220 is preferably of a material and has a constructionwhich will be broken and severed under manual forces which can bereadily applied in sliding the key collar 26 forwardly. As a result,with forward movement of the key collar 26 and removal of the key collar26 from coupling with the activation unit 48, the frangible member 220is broken and preferably severed from the key collar 26.

As a result, if the key collar 26 with the broken or removed frangiblemember 220 is reinserted into the dispenser, then there will no longerexist the optical path 64 for transmission of electromagnetic radiationthrough the frangible member 220. Thus, the electromagnetic transmissionproperties of the waveguide formed within the key collar 26 will havebeen changed by severing the frangible member 220 on removal of the keycollar 26. The nature of the electromagnetic radiation sensed by the keysensor 26 will be altered and the dispenser control mechanism can givesuitable instructions as to how to deal with this event as, for example,to not permit operation of the dispenser.

Reference is made to FIG. 24 which shows an eighth embodiment of the keycollar 26 similar to that shown in FIG. 7 but with a few differences.Firstly, in FIG. 24, the arm 60 and the arm 61 are joined by the bridgemember 221 which is of substantially constant cross-sectional areanormal to the end faces 62 and 63 between the two arms 60 and 61.

Secondly, extending laterally from outside surface 238 of the arm 61,there is provided a cantilevered frangible member 220 having but one endsecured to the arm 60. The frangible member 220 has a cross-sectionalarea normal to the end face 62 of the arm 61 which is significantlyreduced compared to that of the arm 60.

As contrasted with the embodiment of FIG. 21, in FIG. 24, two keyemitters are provided, a first key emitter 55 and a second parallel keyemitter 255. The first key emitter 55 is disposed to direct radiationinto the end face 62 of the arm 60. The second key emitter 255 islocated to engage a surface 262 on the frangible member 220 and todirect radiation into the frangible member 220. The key sensor 56engages the end face 63 of the arm 61. In the embodiment of FIG. 24, thefrangible member 220 is adapted to be severed from or removed from thekey collar 26 on removal of the key collar 26 from the dispenser.

While the frangible member 220 is coupled to the key collar 26 as shownin FIG. 24, then electromagnetic radiation from the second key emitter255 will enter the waveguide via the frangible member 220 and will bepicked up by the key sensor 56. However, insofar as a key collar iscoupled on which the frangible member 220 has been severed from the keycollar, then the key sensor 56 will not pick up radiation from thesecond emitter 255. While two key emitters 56 and 256 are provided, onlythe key emitter 255 is needed to sense the removal of the frangiblemember 220.

The frangible member 220 in FIG. 24 need not be severed from the keycollar 26, rather, it may be bent forwardly into, for example, assume aposition bent away from the second key emitter 256 as, for example, to a45 degree position and would result in a significant change in thewaveguide transmission characteristic such that radiation from thesecond key emitter 255 would be significantly lessened to the extent itmay enter the waveguide and thus be sensed by the key sensor 56.

In FIG. 24, the radiation is directed into the frangible member via thesurface 262 which is in the same plane as end face 62 on the arm 60.Alternatively, the key emitter 255 may direct radiation into thefrangible member 220 at another location as, for example, at a lateralside surface 264 of the frangible member 220, with the sensor 256suitably re-positioned.

FIG. 24 shows the use of a plurality of key emitters 55 and 255 and onekey sensor 56. Of course, in a similar arrangement, one or more keysensors could be used with at least one key sensor coupled to thefrangible member 220 and one key emitter to input radiation to arm 61.

Referring to FIG. 25, a reservoir bottle 22 is shown which is similar tothe reservoir bottle 22 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. As a notable difference,however, the reservoir bottle 22 in FIG. 25 carries as extendingdownwardly from its lower edge, a frangible member 220 which is in theform of a relatively thin plate member formed integrally with thereservoir bottle 22 as, for example, from plastic material and which isadapted to serve as a portion of a waveguide. The frangible member 22 isadapted on rearward sliding insertion of the bottle 22 to sliderearwardly so as to be received between a key emitter 355 and a keysensor 356 as schematically illustrated in a horizontal cross-section inFIG. 26. The frangible member 220 is adapted to be severed or removed onremoval of the reservoir bottle 22. The frangible member 220 on thereservoir bottle 22 is to serve as a portion of a waveguide. Thefrangible member 220 on the bottle 22 may be in substitution of the keycollar 26 and its waveguide as in the other embodiments or incombination therewith.

Frangible members 220 have been shown as coupled to the reservoir bottle22 in FIG. 25 and to the key collar 26 as in FIGS. 21 and 24. Similarfrangible members forming part of a waveguide may be coupled to the pumpassembly as preferably to the piston chamber forming member 30.

The particular nature of the frangible member 220 may vary widely. Theobjective is to provide an arrangement such that with insertion orremoval of a removable component, comprising in the case of thepreferred embodiment the reservoir assembly 12, a portion of a waveguidecarried by the removable reservoir assembly 12 becomes changed such thata control system can recognize a reservoir assembly 12 which has beencoupled or uncoupled more than once and make an appropriate selection asto how to deal with this in control of the dispenser as one example,when the control system recognizes that a reservoir assembly has beencoupled or uncoupled more than once then the control system may preventdispensing of the material.

As another example, when the control system recognizes that a reservoirassembly has been coupled or uncoupled more than once, then the controlsystem may merely permit thereafter a given number of activations of thepiston pump after which the control system will prevent dispensing. Inthe context of the embodiment in FIG. 24 there are two distinct opticalpaths, a first optical paths between key emitter 55 and key sensor 56and a second optical path between key emitter and 255 and key sensor 56.The possibilities for the control system sensing include the following:

-   -   A: Double Positive—meaning sensing of electromagnetic radiation        through the first optical path and sensing electromagnetic        radiation through the second optical path;    -   B: Double Negative—meaning no sensing of electromagnetic        radiation through the first optical path and no sensing        electromagnetic radiation through the second optical path;    -   C: First Positive/Second Negative—meaning sensing of        electromagnetic radiation through the first optical path and no        sensing of electromagnetic radiation through the second optical        path; and    -   D: First Negative/Second Positive—meaning no sensing of        electromagnetic radiation through the first optical path and        sensing of electromagnetic radiation through the second optical        path.

A first rule of operation for the control system preferably is thatoperation is only permitted when the control system senses passage ofelectromagnetic radiation through the first optical path, that is thereis either (A) Double Positive or (C) First Positive/Second Negative.

A counter mechanism for the control system is to count activation of thepiston 32 when there is electromagnetic radiation through the firstoptical path thus, under either condition (A) double positive orcondition (C) First Positive/Second Negative. A second rule of operationis preferably is that after a maximum number of activations have beencounted since the last resetting of the counter mechanism that operationof the pump is prevented. The maximum number of operations can beselected having regard to the volume of the fluid in any reservoirassembly which has been applied and the volume of dosage that is theamount of liquid which is to be dispensed by the piston 32 in a typicalactivation. If, for example, the reservoir assembly is a 1 litre and thedosage volume is 1 ml then a maximum number of activation could beselected to be, for example, 1000 activations, however, preferably therewill be some buffer for inaccuracy of strokes, for example, anadditional 5 percent to 25 percent thus representing, for example, as amaximum being selected between preferably 1050 and 1250 activations.

The count preferably may be reset to zero at a time when in sequence thecontrol system after sensing no radiation through the first opticalpath, that is either condition (B) double negative or condition (D)First Negative/Second Positive the senses (A) Double Positive. This isequivalent to a situation in which the reservoir assembly is removedsuch that (B) the Double Negative is sensed and then a new reservoirassembly with its fragile member 220 in tact is applied, in which casethe reservoir assembly would be expected to have its reservoir is filledof fluid and it is reasonable to reset the counter to zero and permit inthe normal course operation of the dispenser for dispensing of all ofthe fluid from the reservoir, stopping operation, however, preferably ifmore than a maximum activations have been carried out as reasonablynecessary to empty the reservoir. Having the maximum number ofactivations used to stop operation when there has been a continuousdouble positive is not necessary but preferred.

From a condition in which the counter mechanism is counting, if thereservoir assembly is then removed, condition B a Double Negative wouldbe sensed. If the same reservoir assembly is removed and then recoupled,such reservoir assembly will not have the frangible member 220 attached.On recoupling, there will be a sensing of condition C being FirstPositive and Second Negative. On such sensing, the control system willnot restart the counter to zero but will continue with the same count.This permits a reservoir assembly which has been removed and recoupledto continue to be dispensed, however, only to the maximum number ofactivations. The same reservoir assembly may thus be removed andrecoupled a number of times with a counter mechanism continuing to countand operation being permitted until such time as the maximum number ofactivations has arisen.

If after removal of a reservoir assembly, a reservoir assembly iscoupled which does not include either the first optical path or thesecond optical path then the condition (B) the double negative arisesand no dispensing is permitted. Similarly, if a reservoir assembly mightbe applied which provides condition (D) of a First Negative and a secondpositive, then no dispensing arises.

Whether or not the counter mechanism may be operative such that it willstop dispensing during the condition (A) of continuous Double Positivewhen a mechanism is reached arises, it is preferred that when condition(C) arises with First Positive and Second Negative that the countermechanism stop dispensing when the maximum number of activations havebeen reached.

The counter mechanism may have a separate total count function whichcounts the number of activations of the piston irrespective of whetheror not anyone of the conditions A, B, C or D are present as, forexample, to provide an indication of the life and overall usage of thedispenser. Of course, the counter mechanism and the maximum for eachcounter mechanism may be varied depending upon the volume of thereservoir, the nature of the fluid to be dispensed, the size and orstroke of the piston as would be appropriate. As well, the maximums ofcounter mechanism may be selected so as to ensure that all of the fluidis dispensed or to ensure that activations is stopped before all thefluid may be dispensed from the reservoir.

The present invention teaches the use of a dual key system in which twokey systems are sensed to control operation of the dispenser. Thepreferred embodiments teach that both key systems are optical systems.However, this is not necessary and the present invention includes a dualkey system where one or both of the key systems are not optical butrather are another type of keying system. Such other types of keysystems can include mechanical, magnetic, radio frequency, opticalscanner, electrical and capacitor based systems including one or more ofsuch key systems used in combination with each other and with opticalkey systems. For example, in the context of FIGS. 25 and 24, theelements indicated 255 and 355 can comprise merely a capacitor whichsenses the present or absence of the frangible element 22. As anotheralternative, the frangible element 220 may carry a magnet such as in aform of a magnetic strip and the elements 255 and 355 may comprise amagnetic detector. The frangible element 220 might carry a machinereadable optical representation such as a bar code or universal productcode and the elements 255 and 355 may comprise an optical reader such asa bar code reader. The frangible element 220 may carry radio-frequencyidentification (RFID) tag or transponder, whether passive, active orsemi-active to be sensed by the element 255 and 355 being acomplimentary sensory.

Carrying a secondary keying system on the removable reservoir assemblyfor alteration of the secondary keying system on coupling or uncouplingof the removable reservoir assembly provides in the context of theoperation described with reference to FIG. 24, an improved control ofthe operation of a dispenser permitting as described above, amongstother things, the permitted coupling and recoupling of the samereservoir assembly to the dispenser for dispensing to a maximum numberof actuations of the pump as described above. The use of such afrangible member whether optical, magnetic, a RFID tag or a bar code orotherwise could be used not only with the primary keying systemdisclosed in the present application as being optical but also withother keying systems such as that described in U.S. patent publicationUS2006/0124662 to Reynolds et al., using an electric coil/capacitor typesystem. An optical key system is preferred as in the proposed preferredembodiments in that all of the components of the optical key system onthe removable reservoir assembly may be conveniently made from plasticas by injection moulding.

As to the change of the characteristics of a waveguide on coupling ofthe removable reservoir assembly 12 to the dispenser, it is possiblethat selected frangible portions on the reservoir assembly 12 be removedon coupling or insertion rather than on removal. It is not necessarythat the waveguide be changed by removal or severing of a frangiblemember. A portion of the removable reservoir assembly 12 which comprisesa portion of the waveguide may be bended or deflected or otherwisemanipulated in a manner so that they can come to be suitably positionedrelative to a key emitter or a key sensor on coupling yet on removal orreinsertion would not adopt the same physical configuration.

It may be possible for unauthorized tampering of a device in accordancewith the present invention as by the removal of the catch mechanism suchas the catch members 230 and 231 shown in FIG. 23 to prevent theseverance of frangible member 220 so that the reservoir assembly 12could be reused. Alternatively, after severing of frangible member 220from reservoir assembly 12, efforts could be made to secure a frangiblemember in an appropriate location towards possibly having the wave pathappear unchanged. Methods for overcoming such tampering include having acontrol mechanism count the number of activations to calculate when areservoir assembly 12 may be considered to have its reservoir bottleempty and preventing operation after the reservoir bottle 22 isperceived to be empty as by not permitting use until the controller seesthat there is a removal and replacement of the key member as in thesensing of the absence of a frangible member followed by the sensing ofthe presence of a frangible member. This arrangement may, for example,require the provision of additional key emitters, key sensors andmembers through which an optical path is sensed. The removal of thecatch members 230 or 231 could be prevented by their physical locationand/or by requiring some test by a control system to ensure that, infact, the catch members may be intact.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the reservoirassembly 12 is removable as by moving vertically downward and then beingslid rearwardly. It is to be appreciated that with various arrangements,the reservoir assembly 12 could be coupled to the remainder of thedispenser merely by moving vertically downwardly or merely sliding inone direction as, for example, horizontally or at an angle downwardlyand rearwardly. Of course, in the preferred embodiments shown, thevertical opening through the support plate 18 is to be sized to permitthe lower end of the reservoir assembly 12 including the key collar 26to be moved downwardly therethrough before being slid rearwardly.

In the preferred embodiments illustrated, the optical sensor or emittersare shown as substantially in contact with the waveguide through whichelectromagnetic radiation is to be transferred. This is preferred butnot necessary as light will transfer through air and can assist in therelative location of the various sensors and emitters and the entrancesand exists of the waveguides.

In accordance with the present invention, the various waveguides throughwhich radiation is transmitted may be photochromic or include aphotochromic portion. Referring again to FIG. 7, the collar 26 may beformed as by injection moulding from a plastic material which includesat least one reversible photochromic dye. The reversible photochromicdye is a dye which inherently assumes an “unactivated state”. The dyewhen unactivated, that is, in an unactivated state, may be activated byradiation with a “dose” of activation electromagnetic radiation in arange of “activation wavelengths” for the dye so as to assume anactivated state. After a period of time from being last radiated withthe dose of activation electromagnetic radiation, the reversiblephotochromic dye returns to its unactivated state preferably returninginherently. When the dye is not activated, that is, when in theunactivated state, the dye has a different ability to absorbelectromagnetic radiation in a range of “test wavelengths” than when thedye is activated, that is, in the activated state. Typically, the dyewhen in the unactivated state has a relatively low ability to absorbelectromagnetic radiation in a range of the test wavelengths, as aresult, when the first dye is not activated, the photochromic waveguide64 has an “inherent transmission characteristic” for relativetransmission of electromagnetic radiation in the range of testwavelengths which is relatively high. When such a dye is activated, thatis, in an activated state, typically the dye absorbs electromagneticradiation in the range of the test wavelengths to a substantiallygreater extent than the ability of the dye to absorb electromagneticradiation in the range of the test wavelengths when dye is notactivated. As a result, when the dye is activated, the photochromicwaveguide 64 has an “activated transmission characteristic” for relativetransmission of electromagnetic radiation in the range of the testwavelengths different than the inherent transmission characteristic ofthe photochromic waveguide when the dye is not activated. The activatedtransmission characteristic of the photochromic waveguide typicallyprovides for substantially less transmission through the waveguide ofelectromagnetic radiation in the range of the test wavelength than thetransmission characteristic, however, it could provide for greatertransmission.

By way of a simple example, the collar 26 may be formed by injectionmoulding from low density polyethylene including an Oxford BlueREVERSACOL trade mark reversible photochromic dye which when radiated bya suitable dose of ultraviolet light preferably in the range of 350-410nm becomes fully activated. The plastic forming the waveguide, with thedye unactivated may preferably be substantially colourless, clear andhaving relatively high ability to transmit light. When the Oxford BlueREVERSACOL dye is fully activated by a dose of the ultravioletwavelength activation radiation wavelength, the dye absorbs blue lightin a range of the test wavelengths appearing as Oxford Blue in thevisible light spectrum. When the dye is activated, the plastic formingthe waveguide 64 appears of an Oxford Blue colour. When the dye isactivated, visible light in the range of the test wavelengthsrepresenting the Oxford Blue colour are significantly prevented fromtransmission through the waveguide 64 since such Oxford Blue light inthe range of the test wavelengths is absorbed by the activated dye.Thus, the dye when activated provides the waveguide 64 with an activatedtransmission characteristic of relatively low transmission of visiblelight having the test wavelengths representing Oxford Blue colourcompared to the inherent transmission characteristic of the waveguide 64when the first dye is not activated and the waveguide permitssubstantially greater transmission of visible light in the range of thetest wavelengths represented by the Oxford Blue colour.

The dose of activation electromagnetic radiation in the range ofactivation wavelengths in this example with Oxford Blue REVERSACOL dyeis a dose of ultraviolet radiation preferably in the range of 350-410 nmwavelengths. The dose of radiation provides adequate energy in the doserequired to fully activate the dye as can be determined by simpleexperimentation. The reversion time period which is required from thedye of the waveguide last being fully activated until the dye of thewaveguide returns to being unactivated can depend upon the fade rate forthe dye and the concentration of the dye in the plastic. In respect ofthe Oxford Blue REVERSACOL dye, the concentration of the dye in theplastic may be selected so as to provide for a reversion time period,for example, of five minutes, such that, for example, after one minute,the plastic forming the waveguide appears only slightly tinted in bluecolour and after, for example, five minutes, the dye is inactivated andthe plastic forming waveguide has returned to its substantially clearuncoloured inherent appearance.

In the context of the above described example and with the waveguide 64of a reversible photochromic dye in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.1 to 8, the key emitter 55 is selected to be an emitter which canselectively emit both (a) electromagnetic radiation in the range ofactivation wavelengths for the dye, that is, ultraviolet wavelengths inthe range of 350-410 mm, and (b) electromagnetic radiation in the rangeof the test wavelengths representing the visible light of wavelengthsrepresented by Oxford Blue colour. The control mechanism for theactivation unit can at controlled times activate the key emitter 55 toemit a dose of the activation electromagnetic radiation in the range ofultraviolet activation wavelengths adequate to activate the dye in thewaveguide 64. The control mechanism controls the key emitter 55 in amanner to permit electromagnetic radiation in the range of testwavelengths representing the Oxford Blue colour to be emitted at desiredtimes. The control mechanism preferably controls the timing of,intensity, energy and duration of each of the activation electromagneticradiation in the range of activation wavelengths and the testelectromagnetic radiation in the range of the test wavelengths.

The key sensor 56 is configured to sense electromagnetic radiationtransmitted through the waveguide 64 and particularly to sense thetiming, intensity, energy and duration of electromagnetic radiation inthe range of test wavelengths, that is, of the Oxford Blue colour,notably over time.

A preferred method of operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 8 withthe photochromic waveguide 64 involves in a controlled mannerselectively inputting the activation electromagnetic radiation into thewaveguide so as to selectively control whether or not any photochromicdye in the waveguide is activated or not activated over time. With thecontrol mechanism controlling the times when the photochromic waveguidehas its known different transmission characteristics for theelectromagnetic radiation in the range of the Oxford Blue testwavelengths, the control mechanism can then at selected times input testelectromagnetic radiation of the Oxford Blue colour test wavelength viathe key emitter 55 and sense via the key sensor 56 the relative levelsof Oxford Blue colour test wavelength of test electromagnetic radiationtransmitted through the waveguide 64.

By this method, the dispenser control can determine whether there iscoupled to the dispenser a waveguide including the specific Oxford BlueREVERSACOL reversible photochromic dye. The determination as to whetherany waveguide 64 coupled to the dispenser includes the Oxford Bluephotochromic dye can be made by sensing the test electromagneticradiation transmitted through the waveguide at a time when thephotochromic dye if present in the waveguide should be activated. Thismay be carried out by inputting via the key emitter 55 into thewaveguide 64 for transmission through the waveguide 64 input radiationrepresenting a dose of the ultraviolet activation electromagneticradiation adequate to activate the dye and, after inputting the dose ofultraviolet activation electromagnetic radiation sufficient to activatethe dye so that the dye if present should be in the activated state,further inputting into the guideway 64 via the key emitter 55 fortransmission through the guideway as input electromagnetic radiation,Oxford Blue coloured test electromagnetic radiation, followed by sensingwith the key sensor 56 the relative levels of Oxford Blue wavelengthelectromagnetic radiation transmitted through the waveguide 64, anddetermining from the Oxford Blue wavelength electromagnetic radiationsensed if the waveguide 64 relatively transmits the Oxford Bluewavelength electromagnetic radiation above or below a threshold value.Sensing transmitted Oxford Blue wavelengths electromagnetic radiationabove a threshold valve is indicative of the first waveguide not havingthe activated transmission characteristic and that the waveguide 64 doesnot include Oxford Blue photochromic dye. If the transmitted Oxford Bluewavelength electromagnetic radiation sensed by the key sensor 56 isdetermined to be below the threshold valve, then this is indicative thatthe waveguide has the activated transmission characteristic and that thewaveguide 64 includes the Oxford Blue photochromic dye. The controlmechanism may control operation of the dispenser dependent upon whetheror not the waveguide is indicated to include the Oxford Bluephotochromic dye.

The above referred to test to determine if the waveguide 64 includes theOxford Blue wavelength photochromic dye would not be able to distinguishbetween a waveguide 64 including the Oxford Blue photochromic dye whichhas been activated and a waveguide 64 which permanently has a colour ofthe Oxford Blue wavelength. The method preferably may include othersteps in which the ability of the waveguide when expected to beinactivated is tested to consider if its transmission of testelectromagnetic radiation in the range of the test wavelength matchesthe inherent transmission characteristic. The dispenser may be operatedin a method which determines, at a time when the waveguide 64 should bein an inactivated state, if the waveguide 64 has the capability oftransmitting the Oxford Blue test electromagnetic radiation in a mannerconsistent with the waveguide 64 including the Oxford Blue photochromicdye that is inactivated. The control mechanism for the activation unit48 controls and is cognizant of whether the waveguide 64, if it containsthe Oxford Blue photochromic dye, would be activated or unactivated. Thecontrol mechanism would expect that the waveguide 64 containing theOxford Blue dye would not be activated: (a) before any dose of theultraviolet activation electromagnetic radiation has been emitted by thekey emitter 55, or (b) after the reversion time period has passedfollowing the last input of ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation toactivate the dye. At such point in time as the control determines thatthe Oxford Blue photochromic dye if present in the waveguide 64 wouldnot be activated, the following test procedure is carried out. Via thekey emitter 55, input electromagnetic radiation is input into thewaveguide 64 comprising Oxford Blue wavelength test electromagneticradiation. Simultaneously, the key sensor 56 is used to sensetransmitted electromagnetic radiation transmitted through the waveguide64 in the range of Oxford Blue colour test wavelengths. The control thenmakes a determination from the sensed Oxford Blue transmittedelectromagnetic radiation as to the relative level of transmission ofthe Oxford Blue wavelength electromagnetic radiation. If the Oxford Bluewavelength electromagnetic radiation sensed is below a set threshold,then this is indicative of the waveguide not including the Oxford Bluereversible photochromic dye. If the Oxford Blue wavelengthelectromagnetic radiation sensed is above the relative threshold, thenthis is indicative of the waveguide including the Oxford Blue reversiblephotochromic dye.

In respect of determining the relative transmission of the Oxford Bluewavelength test electromagnetic radiation through the waveguide from thekey emitter 55 to the key sensor 56, the control may compare the OxfordBlue wavelength test electromagnetic radiation emitted by the keyemitter 55 with the Oxford Blue wavelength test electromagneticradiation sensed by the sensor 56. Alternatively, with knowledge, forexample, of preset intensity levels of the Oxford Blue testelectromagnetic radiation emitted by the key emitter 55, the relativeintensity of the Oxford Blue test electromagnetic radiation sensed bythe key sensor 56 may itself indicate the relative ability of thewaveguide to transmit the Oxford Blue test electromagnetic radiation.

Insofar as electromagnetic radiation in a range of wavelengths isrequired for a reversible photochromic dye to change from an activatedstate to an unactivated state, then the control mechanism may alsocontrol the application of such radiation to the waveguide as, forexample, by controlling the key emitter to input such radiation.

The use of the collar 26 as shown in FIG. 7 has been described above inwhich the waveguide 64 is formed as a unit by injection moulding fromplastic material which permits transmission of electromagnetic radiationtherethrough and includes as one photochromic dye an Oxford BlueREVERSACOL photochromic dye. Such a collar 26 may, however, include morethan one photochromic dye, for example, two, three, four or five or moredifferent photochromic dyes. The particular nature of the differentphotochromic dyes may be suitably selected. For example, each of thedifferent photochromic dyes may be activated by activationelectromagnetic radiation having the same range of activationwavelengths, for example, all may be activated by ultraviolet light. Thedosage of such activation electromagnetic radiation of ultraviolet lightto activate each different photochromic dyes may be the same or may varyas, for example, with the amount of energy required to activate one ofthe dyes being different than the amount of energy required to activatethe other of the dyes such that varying the amount of energy of theactivation electromagnetic radiation radiated can control which of thephotochromic dyes may be activated.

In one preferred embodiment, more than one photochromic dye may be used,each being activated by the same activation wavelength, for example, thesame ultraviolet light and each being relatively equally activated byany dose of such ultraviolet light. Each of the photochromic dyes mayhave a range of test wavelengths that it selectively absorbs whenactivated, for example, to have different colour when activated and,preferably each, when unactivated, effectively is clear transmittingvisible light and provides substantially no colour to the waveguide.Referring to the photochromic dye as having a colour when activated is asimplistic way of stating that the photochromic dye when activated hasan enhanced ability to absorb electromagnetic radiation of a particulartest wavelength, in this case, corresponding to visible light of thespecific colour.

The dispenser has been described above as being controlled by using amethod which determines whether or not the waveguide includes areversible photochromic first dye. In an analogous manner, the dispensermay be operated in a manner to determine whether the waveguide alsoincludes a reversible photochromic second dye or a reversiblephotochromic third dye or any other different reversible photochromicdyes. If two or more of the different reversible photochromic dyes areactivated by activation electromagnetic radiation in the same range ofactivated wavelengths, then these dyes may be activated simultaneously.Thereafter, emission of the test electromagnetic radiation for eachphotochromic dye and sensing of the transmission of such testelectromagnetic radiation for each photochromic dye may be carried outwhile each of the photochromic dyes is activated.

Where multiple photochromic dyes are incorporated in the same wavelength64, it is possible to utilize photochromic dyes that are activated byactivation electromagnetic radiation having different activationwavelengths. For example, a first photochromic dye in the wavelengthmight be activated by one of ultraviolet, visible or infrared lightelectromagnetic radiation as a first range of activation wavelengths anda second photochromic dye may be activated by radiation withelectromagnetic radiation of a different second range of activationwavelengths which is outside the first range. With key emitter 55capable of emitting the activation electromagnetic radiation selectivelyof the different desired ranges of activation wavelengths, the twodifferent photochromic dyes may be selectively activated by the controlmechanism.

The two or more of the photochromic dyes in the same waveguide couldhave the ability when activated to selectively absorb the same testelectromagnetic radiation. For example, different activationelectromagnetic radiation may be used to selectively activate twodifferent photochromic dyes, however, each of which may absorb light ofthe Oxford Blue wavelength. Nevertheless, selective testing may becarried out testing for the level of transmission of testelectromagnetic radiation of the Oxford Blue wavelength in the variousconditions of: (1) neither photochromic dyes being activated, (2) one ofthe photochromic dyes activated and the other of the photochromic dyesnot being activated, or (3) both of the photochromic dyes beingactivated. Furthermore, each of the photochromic dyes which whenactivated may absorb the Oxford Blue wavelength to different extents andthus different level transmissions of Oxford Blue wavelengthselectromagnetic transmission may be determined depending upon whethernone, one or both of the photochromic dyes are activated.

The present invention also provides for the use of irreversiblephotochromic dyes. An irreversible photochromic dye describes a dye thatundergoes a relatively permanent change in its ability to absorbelectromagnetic radiation in a range of test wavelengths upon exposureto activation electromagnetic radiation in a range of activationwavelengths. The irreversible photochromic dyes provide the waveguidewith an inherent transmission characteristic when not activated which isdifferent than an activated transmission characteristic when activated.For example, when not activated, the irreversible photochromic dye maynot significantly absorb electromagnetic radiation of specific testwavelengths yet, when activated, may significantly absorbelectromagnetic radiation of the specific test wavelengths.Alternatively, the irreversible photochromic dye may, when notactivated, significantly absorb electromagnetic radiation in a range oftest wavelengths yet, when activated, may not absorb electromagneticradiation in the range of the test wavelengths.

In accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, the collar26 may be injection moulded in its entirety from a plastic materialwhich contains an irreversible photochromic dye. For example, theirreversible photochromic dye may be a dye which when activated withactivation electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet radiationwithin a certain dose in a period of time, substantially irreversibleactivates the dye to permanently significantly absorb electromagneticradiation within a range of test wavelengths, for example, red colourvisible light and thus assume a red colour.

In accordance with the present invention, the dispenser may becontrolled such that at some time in the cycle of operation, theirreversible photochromic dye may be activated such that the dye willpermanently have the colour red and the waveguide will absorb redwavelength light.

For example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8, the control mechanismmay, for example, after initialization such as insertion of theremovable reservoir assembly 12 or after its initial usage, activate theirreversible photochromic dye in the waveguide 64 as by activation withultraviolet light such that the waveguide thereafter will permanentlyhave an activated transmission characteristic of selectively absorbingelectromagnetic radiation in a range of red light wavelengths. Beforeany removable reservoir assembly 12 may be permitted to be used in thedispenser in an initialization process, the control mechanism willpreferably perform a suitable initialization test to determine if thewaveguide transmits red wavelength electromagnetic radiation. If redwavelength electromagnetic radiation is not permitted to be transmittedat a time when a waveguide should be unactivated, then the dispenser maybe controlled in a manner as to prevent operation with that reservoir.Thus, in this manner, after any particular removable reservoir assembly12 and its collar 26 has been used in a dispenser assembly, that collar26 and its waveguide are permanently marked by activation of theirreversible photochromic dye as a reservoir assembly 12 which shouldnot be permitted to be removed, inserted and re-initialized for re-useanother time in the dispenser.

The time when the irreversible photochromic dye may be activated topermanently adopt its activated state, for example, red colour may takeplace at times other than after initialization or initial dispensing.For example, for any removable reservoir assembly at any time afterinsertion and before removal but preferably after checking to see thatthe waveguide 64 is an acceptable waveguide, the waveguide may then haveits irreversible photochromic dye activated to prevent re-use afterremoval. The activation of the irreversible photochromic dye may takeplace at some set time after initial insertion as, for example, apre-selected time in of hours, days or months after insertion or after adetermination has been made that some pre-selected amount of fluid hasbeen dispensed, or is calculated, estimated or expected to have beendispensed, from the reservoir. For example, the control mechanism maycount the number of activations of the piston 32 such that after amaximum number of activations have been counted since last reset of thecounter mechanism, the irreversible photochromic dye is activated.

An irreversible photochromic dye may be selected, for example, to beabsorptive of electromagnetic radiation of test wavelengths, forexample, red wavelength light when not activated and, when activated, benon-absorptive and therefore transmissive of the red colour testelectromagnetic radiation. With such a irreversible photochromic dye, oninitial insertion of the removable reservoir 12 which the collar 26 andwhile the wavelength should be unactivated, the control mechanism mayconduct a test to ensure that the collar 26 has the inherenttransmission characteristic, that is, is absorptive of red wavelengthlight. Thereafter, the collar may be irradiated with activationelectromagnetic radiation to activate the photochromic dye and assume atransmission characteristic that permits increased transmission of redlight. Subsequently, tests could be conducted to ensure if the waveguidepermits the transmission of red light and prevent operation if red lightis not adequately transmitted.

In accordance with the present invention, one or more irreversiblephotochromic dyes may be used. Each irreversible photochromic dye may beactivated by activation electromagnetic radiation having the same ordifferent activation wavelengths. Each of the irreversible photochromicdyes may have the same or different test wavelength electromagneticradiation which it will selectively absorb.

In accordance with the present invention, any particular waveguide suchas the waveguide 26 in FIG. 7 may include one or more irreversiblephotochromic dyes and one or more irreversible photochromic dyes, eachof which has a respective activation electromagnetic radiation in arange of activation wavelengths, each of which has a respectiveelectromagnetic radiation in a range of test wavelengths which isadapted to selectively absorb. The various activation wavelengths of theactivation electromagnetic radiation may be the same or different andthe various test wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation absorbedmay be the different or the same.

The irreversible photochromic dye may comprise a dye in respect of whichthe cumulative amount of activation electromagnetic radiation itreceives will move the photochromic dye successively from an unactivatedstate towards an activated state, for example, progressively, as forexample, to linearly with the energy of activation electromagneticradiation received, increase the dye's ability to absorb electromagneticradiation in the range of test wavelengths. In one embodiment, thewaveguide 26 may include both a reversible photochromic dye and anirreversible photochromic dye, with each having the same activationwavelength, for example, ultraviolet wavelength light. With eachsuccessive dose of ultraviolet radiation to successively activate thereversible photochromic dye in the course of normal usage, theirreversible photochromic dye becomes increasingly activated until it isso fully activated that it would fail to meet a minimum threshold as topermit further usage in the dispenser it is coupled to or that it needsbe accepted as a replacement waveguide if removed from the dispenser andreinserted.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, it isadvantageous that the collar 26, for example, as shown in FIG. 7 mayvisually to a human handler have a specific colour or absence of colour.For example, on initial manufacture, the collar may appear clear orcolourless. In the absence of application of appropriate inputelectromagnetic radiation and sensing appropriate output electromagneticradiation, it would not be apparent to a user as to what inherent lighttransmitting characteristics of the waveguide will arise and thus wouldbe difficult, in the absence of some not insubstantial testing andinvestigation, for any third party without knowledge of the transmissioncharacteristics to determine what specific characteristics are found inthat waveguide and are necessary to make it compatible with thecomponent for which it is intended.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 shows an optical fiber member 68 asforming a waveguide. It is to be appreciated that the optical fibermember 68 may comprise a plastic containing one or more photochromicdyes. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the base 66 may be formedfrom a plastic including a first photochromic dye, the top 67 may beformed from a plastic including a second photochromic dye and theoptical fiber member 68 may be formed from a plastic including a thirdphotochromic dye. Emitted electromagnetic radiation from the key emitter55 may simultaneously be inputted into each of the base 66, top 67 andoptical fiber member 68 and electromagnetic radiation transmittedthrough each may be sensed by the key sensor 56. Only one or two of thebase 66, top 67 or optical fiber member 68 may have a photochromic dye.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate various embodiments in which the elements211, 212, 213 and 214 may selectively be either an emitter ofelectromagnetic radiation or a sensor of electromagnetic radiation. Aswell, FIGS. 10 and 11 show configurations which adopt one or more ofthree optical fiber members 105, 106 and 107 as waveguides. Preferably,in FIGS. 10 and 11, at least one of the waveguides includes aphotochromic dye, however, each of the waveguides 105, 106 and 107 mayinclude one or more photochromic dyes. Each of the waveguides 105, 106and 107 may have a different photochromic dye. It is within the skill ofa person knowledgeable in this area to determine a simple relative testfor inputting activation electromagnetic radiation selectively andinputting test electromagnetic radiation selectively so as to determinewhether or not any one of the various waveguides includes an expectedphotochromic dye.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the individual waveguide inserts 171, 172and 173 may each include one or more photochromic dye. Similarly, in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 14, the waveguide extensions 151 and 152which may be removable may include one or more photochromic dyes. In theembodiments of each of FIGS. 15 and 20, each of the waveguide members184 and the waveguide members 201, 202 and 203 may include one or morephotochromic dye.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 13, 14, 21, 22 and 24, the collar 26 may, asin the case collar in FIG. 7, be injection moulded in its entirety ofplastic material containing one or more photochromic dyes.Alternatively, various components of the collar 26 may be injectionmoulded selectively with different plastics in different portions so asto provide photochromic dye in one portion which is not in anotherportion. For example, in the context of the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 22, injection moulding may be carried out so as to injection mouldthe annular circular part containing the circular portion of thewaveguide 264 to be plastic having different amounts of photochromic dyethan the parts of the collar 26 forming the waveguide 64 as shown inFIG. 22.

The embodiment of FIG. 24 shows the use of two key emitters, a first keyemitter 55 and a second key emitter 255. More than one key emitters maybe provided as may be advantageous for selectively inputting into thewaveguide of either activation electromagnetic radiation or testelectromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths. This may bepreferred to having a single emitter which is adaptable to emitradiation of different wavelengths. The key emitter 55 illustrated, forexample, in FIG. 4 may comprise a combination of various individualemitting devices each of which can emit radiation of desired wavelengthswith the emitted radiation from all the individual emitters being theresultant emission from the key emitter 55.

The preferred embodiments illustrated show various waveguides which aretypically referred to as comprising plastic. However, other lighttransmitting materials may be used, for example, waveguides made ofglass including notably a glass optical fiber as in FIG. 9 and theseparate replaceable waveguides indicated as 105, 106, 107 in FIGS. 10and 11 or 184 in FIG. 15.

The electromagnetic radiation to be emitted into the waveguides via thekey emitter 55, transmitted through the waveguide and sensed by the keysensor 56 may preferably be light in ultraviolet, visible and nearvisible wavelengths. Light of almost any wavelength is preferred.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 24, the waveguide has substantiallybeen characterized as a portion of the collar 26 forming a portion ofthe removable reservoir assembly 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 25, thewaveguide is provided as a portion of the bottle 22 notably thefrangible member 220, however, it is to be appreciated that it is withinthe scope of the present invention that a member similar to 220 could beprovided on the bottle which is not frangible and merely provides awaveguide, which waveguide may preferably include photochromic dye.

In accordance with the present invention, a removable and replaceablekey component is disclosed which is required for operation of amechanism and which the key component includes an electromagneticwaveguide preferably including a photochromic portion. The keyingportion preferably serves a function in the operation of the mechanismin addition to the function of providing the waveguide. In this regard,the collar 26 in the first embodiment serves a purpose of securing thepump assembly 24 to the bottle 22 against removal. In the case of thebottle 22 as seen in FIG. 25, the bottle 22 serves the function of areservoir for fluid. These functions may be seen to be in addition tothe function of serving as a waveguide and may be considered independentto the function of providing the waveguide.

In the context of the keying component being a component required foroperation of a mechanism, the present invention is not limited to keyingcomponents for mechanisms whose purpose is to dispense material althoughthis is a preferred application. In the case where the mechanism is anapparatus for dispensing material, the replaceable keying component hasbeen shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 to 25 to comprise a securing collar26 and in FIG. 25 to comprise the bottle 22. The keying component is notlimited to being such components, however.

Reference is made to FIGS. 27 to 29 which illustrate two alternateembodiments in which the keying component including the waveguide whichpreferably including a photochromic portion comprises the bottle 22. Asseen in the rear view of the bottle 22 shown in FIG. 25, a pair ofrecesses 250 are provided extending into the rear and spaced by a web251 of the bottle. As best seen in FIG. 27, the web 251 comprises a pairof side walls 252 and a rear wall 253. FIG. 27 schematically illustratesthe bottle 22 as secured in a dispensing apparatus with the dispensingapparatus including a mounting board 254 carrying a key emitter 55 and akey sensor 56 directed such that electromagnetic radiation is directedinto the web 251 for transmission of electromagnetic radiation throughthe web 251. The web 251 may be configured such that electromagneticradiation will pass internally through the side wall 252 through therear wall 253 to the other side wall 252 to be sensed by the key sensor56. Alternatively, the electromagnetic radiation may pass through eachside wall 252 perpendicular thereto and through the space between theside walls 252 within the bottle 22 then through the other side wall 252to reach the key sensor 56. In a further embodiment, the web 251 couldbe provided such that the two side walls are, in fact, one side wall andthere is no gap therebetween.

Reference is made to FIG. 28 which illustrates a further embodiment of abottle 22 having similarities to that shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 25. InFIG. 28, a tab 29 is provided on the neck 27. The tab 29 in FIG. 28 issubstantially the same as the locking tab 29 in FIG. 5, however, in FIG.28, the tab 29 is provided at the rear of the bottle. FIG. 29schematically illustrates a cross-section normal to the neck 27 throughthe tab 28 and with the bottle 22 secured to a fluid dispenser with amount board 254 similar to that shown in FIG. 27 having its key emitter55 and key sensor 56 disposed to engage opposite side surfaces 256 ofthe tab 29. The tab 29 thus serves as a waveguide for passage ofelectromagnetic radiation therethrough and the tab 29 preferablyincludes a photochromic dye.

Reference is made to FIG. 30 which illustrates an arrangement in whichthe replaceable keying component is a piston 32 of a pump assembly 25substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 5. The piston 32 includesan engagement flange 54 which, as shown in a vertical cross-section inFIG. 30, is adapted for engagement with a presser member 15 such thatmovement of the presser member moves the piston 32 upwardly anddownwardly as indicated by the arrow 257 shown in FIG. 30. The pressermember 15 is shown to have a slotway 257 therethrough with catch members258 to engage the engagement flange 54 and couple the engagement flange54 to the presser member 15. The presser member 15 is shown to have twokey emitters 55 and two key sensors 56. A first key emitter 55 isdisposed to direct the electromagnetic radiation radially into theengagement flange 54 normal the axis 258 for passage radially andcircumferentially through the engagement flange 54 to a diametricallyopposed key sensor 56. In addition, a second key emitter 55 is carriedby the presser member 15 to direct electromagnetic radiation axiallyparallel to the axis 258 of the piston with the electromagneticradiation to pass axially through the engagement flange for sensing byan oppositely disposed key sensor 56. The engagement flange 54 thusserves the function of a waveguide. In each of the embodimentsillustrated, where each of the respective key emitters engages ordirects electromagnetic radiation into the respective waveguide, thereis formed on the waveguide an inlet for electromagnetic radiation andsimilarly on each waveguide opposite and opposed to each key sensor, thewaveguide provides an outlet for electromagnetic radiation. To enhancevarious portions of the circumferential surface of the engagement flange54 to serve as an input or output, the circumferential surface may befaceted and provide surfaces substantially normal to the emitter andsensor.

In FIG. 30, the presser member 15 may comprise a presser such as thepresser 15 shown in FIG. 8 which pivots about the stub axles 20,however, in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 30, the pressermember 15 is mounted to the housing for linear movement parallel to theaxis 258 as by mounting the presser member 15 for sliding verticallyrelative to the side plates 19 of the backplate assembly 14 shown inFIG. 2 rather than for pivoting about the stub axles 21. Preferably in adifferent arrangement, the engagement flange 54 may be adapted to beslid horizontally rearwardly into a forwardly open slot formed by thepresser member 15 as is known, for example, in devices as taught by U.S.Pat. No. 5,431,309 to Ophardt issued Jul. 11, 1995 albeit disclosing amanually operated fluid dispenser.

Each of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 27 to 30 may provide theirrespective waveguide and key emitter and key sensor in an arrangementwhich avoids the need for any of the other waveguides illustrated, forexample, in FIGS. 1 to 26 although any combination of two or morewaveguides disclosed may be utilized.

Reference is made to FIG. 31 which illustrates a cross-sectional viewwith an alternate embodiment of a fluid dispenser in accordance with thepresent invention substantially identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 to26, however, with the notable exception that the collar 26 has beeneliminated and the piston chamber-forming member 30 has been utilized toprovide a waveguide with radiation to be input into the outer flange 31by a key emitter 55 to pass circumferentially about the outer flange 31for sensing of transmitted electromagnetic radiation by the key sensor56. As shown, the key sensor 56 and key emitter 55 are secured to thesupport plate 18 of the backplate assembly 14. In this embodiment, thestructure of the dispenser is otherwise the same as the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 to 26.

Reference is made to FIG. 32 which shows an exploded view of anotherembodiment of a fluid dispenser in accordance with the present inventionhaving similarities to the pump disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,482 toOphardt issued Nov. 17, 1998. The dispenser 10 comprises a housing 14, areplaceable reservoir assembly 12 and a cover 13. The housing 14 isadapted to be mounted vertically as to a wall. The cover 13 is adaptedto be coupled to the housing to permit insertion and removal of thereservoir assembly 12 preferably as in a known manner with the cover 13hingedly connected to the housing 14. The replaceable reservoir assembly12 comprises a collapsible fluid container 22 and a pump assembly 25.

Reference is made to FIG. 33 which shows in cross-section the container22 filled with fluid. The container 22 has a cylindrical outlet neck 27which is externally threaded at its end to threadably receive a collar26. The neck 27 has a radially outwardly extending flange 326 disposedclosely under a radially outwardly extending shoulder 192 of the wall328 of the container so as to present a radially extending support slot330 therebetween. The housing 14 has a horizontally extending supportplate 332 with a forwardly open U-shaped slot 334 therein sized to becomplementary to support slot 330 such that the support plate 332 can bereceived in slot 330 and support the weight of the container 22 andlocate the container in a desired position.

The collar 26 supports a funnel-like plate 325 with a central opening338 therethrough which opens into a feed tube 340. A flapper valvemember 336 is located in opening 338 to form a one-way valve whichprevents flow upwardly from the feed tube 340 into the container.

Fluid passing through the one-way valve formed by member 336 isconducted via feed tube 340 to the pump assembly 25 and then from pumpassembly 25 via an exit tube 342 to out a discharge opening 34.

The construction of the pump assembly 25 is best seen with reference toFIG. 34. The pump assembly 25 is a gear-type rotary pump with twointermeshing gear-like impellers, namely, a driver impeller 346 and adriven impeller 348, received in a cavity within a pump casing. Thecasing 352 comprises a primary casing member 354 with a removable casingplug 356 defining the cavity therebetween.

The impellers 346 and 348 are identical with each adapted to be rotatedabout its respective axis. Each impeller has a gear portion 358 disposedcoaxially about the axis with radially and axially extending teeth 360.Each impeller has an axle member 364 which extends axially from the gearportion 358 and serves to assist in journaling its impeller in thecavity

The cavity is formed so as to journal the impellers 346 and 348 forrotation with the axes of the impellers parallel, with the impellersdisposed beside each other and with the teeth of one impellerintermeshing with the teeth of the other impeller in a nip between theimpellers.

The cavity is provided with flat, radially extending front and rearwalls to relatively closely engage the flat, radially extending frontand rear surfaces of the gear portions 358. The front wall of the cavityis formed on the primary casing member 354 with two forwardly extendingbores 365 sized to receive and journal the axle members 364 of theimpellers to journal the impellers. The cavity has circumferential sidewall defined by a part-cylinder forming surface disposed at a constantradius from the axis of the driver impeller 346 and a part-cylinderforming surface disposed at a constant radius from the axis of drivenimpeller 348.

An inlet port 374 opens through the casing into the cavity on an upperside of the cavity above the nip. The feed tube 340 is connected to theinlet port 374 to permit fluid in the container to be in communicationwith the cavity.

An outlet port 376 opens through the casing 352 into the cavity on alower side of the casing below the nip. The exit tube 342 is received ina friction fit relation in the outlet port 376 to permit fluid from thecavity to flow out of the discharge outlet 34.

The driver impeller 346 has its axle member 64 extend rearwardly fromthe rear surface of the impeller 346 out of the pump casing 352 though ajournaling bore 386 in the plug 356 for operative connection to a motor382. The journaling bore 386 of plug 356 and the journaling bore of 356of the casing 350 preferably engages the axle 64 in a sealed manner asby use of O-ring seals not shown.

The driver impeller 346 is shown to carry gear teeth 379 at its innerend to engage with a gear toothed drive 380 carried by the motor 382.When the motor 382 rotates the driver impeller 346, the driver impeller346 engages the driven impeller 348 to rotate the driven impeller and todispense fluid from the discharge outlet 34.

The motor casing 392 carries a forwardly opening socket 408 definedwithin a forwardly extending wall 406. Socket 408 has a cross-sectionalshape, size and depth complementary to that of the casing. As shown inthe preferred embodiment, the socket 408 and casing have complementaryoval shapes in cross-section. The casing carries a stop flange 353 whichextends radially relative the axis of the impellers at a forward end ofthe casing. The stop flange serves to engage a forward edge of the wall406 when the casing 352 is fully inserted into socket 408. Insertion andremoval of the reservoir assembly 12 is accomplished by sliding thereservoir assembly 12 forwardly and rearwardly relative the housing 14parallel the axis of the impellers with the support plate 332 receivedin the support slot 330 and the casing received in the socket 408. Withsuch rearward and forward sliding, the pump assembly 25 becomes engagedand disengaged with the motor 382.

A control mechanism is provided which includes a proximity sensor whichwill sense the presence of a user's hand under the exit tube 342 andprovide a signal to a control circuit coupling the sensor to theelectric motor for actuating the motor. The control mechanism preferablycontrols the supply of power to the motor 382 so that whenever it isdesired that fluid be dispensed, the motor is operated for apre-selected period of time which will dispense a single dose beingapproximately a predetermined quantity of fluid.

The reservoir assembly 12 is preferably disposable and recyclable. Inthis regard, each element of the reservoir assembly 12 is preferablyformed from recyclable plastic material. The container 22 illustrated inFIG. 33 is a collapsible container form made of recyclable plasticmaterial. Similarly, the collar 326 and its one-way valve 336 can all bemade from recyclable plastic materials. Each of the feed tube 340, exittube 342, primary casing member 354 and casing plug 356 as well as thetwo impellers 346 and 348 are each preferably formed from recyclableplastic material. Thus, the entirety of the reservoir assembly 12 ispreferably formed from recyclable plastic material which can, after use,readily be recycled.

In the context of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 32 to 35, variousdifferent components of the dispenser may be used as a removable andreplaceable keying component to carry a waveguide preferably including aphotochromic portion.

FIG. 33 shows an arrangement in which the pump impeller 346 and notablyits axle 364 may form a waveguide made from electromagnetic radiationtransmitting plastic with radiation to be emitted via a key emitter 55carried on the cover 13 and a key sensor 56 carried on the housing 14with opposite ends of the axle member 364 forming the inlet and theoutlet of the waveguide. The impeller 346 may be characterized as amovable material displacing element which is received inside a chamberfor the pump assembly 25.

Reference is made to FIG. 34 which schematically illustrates a keysensor 56 and a key emitter 55 in an arrangement in which the casing 352is used as a waveguide with an outlet and inlet provided ondiametrically opposed sides of the casing 352. In respect of use of thecasing 352 as a waveguide, it is to be appreciated that the radiationmay extend substantially in a straight line through a portion of thecasing underneath the bores 65. In an alternate configuration not shown,a key emitter could be provided at the top of the casing and a keysensor at the bottom of the casing, for example, in between the twobores 65 for passage of radiation vertically therebetween forward of thecavity. Each of the key emitter 55 and key sensor 56 shown only in FIG.34 could be secured in suitably provided openings (not shown) in thewall 406 of the socket 408.

FIG. 34 illustrates the provision of a removable keying component as achamber-forming body for a pump having a chamber for receiving a movablematerial displacing element, that is, the pump impeller therein.

Reference is made to FIG. 35 which shows an arrangement in which thethreaded collar 326 engaged about the outlet neck 27 of the container 22serves as a waveguide. Electromagnetic radiation is input into thecollar 326 on the first side via key emitter 55, passescircumferentially about the collar 326 to a key sensor 56 supported onan opposite side of the housing 14. The collar 326 is preferably securedto the container 22 against removal by various means including welding,bonding and supplemental mechanical arrangements which prevent removal.

The threaded collar 326 like the threaded outer flange 31 of the pistonchamber-forming member 30 shown in FIG. 31 is secured to the neck 27 ofthe bottle 22.

While the outer flange 31 in FIG. 35 and the collar 326 in FIG. 35 areshown as threaded onto the neck of the bottle, various other mechanicalcoupling arrangements can be provided as, for example, a one-waysnap-fit arrangement which prevents removal.

A flange member like outer flange member 31 in FIG. 5 and the collar 326in FIG. 35 may form a simple cap with an outlet tube leading to adispensing control mechanism which might merely be a simple arrangementwhich squeezes or releases the tube to control material discharge.Virtually any form or manner of a cap for closing the container 22 maybe used conveniently as a keying component with a waveguide.

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 32 to 35, thecontrol mechanism will preferably include a mechanism to determine ifelectromagnetic radiation passing through the waveguide from the keyemitter 55 to the key sensor 56 meets expected electromagnetic radiationprofiles and the control mechanism may be operated to determine whetheror not the waveguide includes an expected photochromic portion.

Reference is made to FIGS. 36 to 38 which illustrate a dispenser forsheet material wound in a roll, notably paper toweling of the typedisclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,354 to Alfano issued May30, 2000.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 36 and 37, the dispenser 610 includes ahousing generally indicated 614 with a backplate 621, typically to bemounted vertically to a wall as in a washroom and two side walls 623which extend vertically and forwardly from the backplate 621. On theinside of each of the side walls 623 there is mounted an end plug 600.The end plugs carry a journaling portion 661 with a cylindrical outsidesurface which is received within a hollow core 670 of a roll of paper672 carrying rolled layers of paper sheeting 674 which is to bedispensed. The hollow core 670 is thus rotatably journalled upon thejournaling portions for rotation about the axis 700. The end plugs 600carry radially extending inwardly directed locating shoulder 663 tolimit side-to-side movement of the hollow core 670. The hollow core 670is preferably formed out of material such as plastic to provide awaveguide which has an inlet at one end of the hollow core and an outletat the other end of the hollow core. A key emitter 55 is provided in oneof the end plugs 600 and a key sensor 56 is provided in the other endplug 600 each axially aligned with the circumferential wall of thehollow core 670 such that radiation may be selectively passed axiallythrough the waveguide formed by the cylindrical wall of the hollow core670.

FIG. 36 also shows a second waveguide being provided as a circular disc702 which is fixedly secured inside the hollow core 670. The disc 702 ismade of a material which transmits electromagnetic radiation andpreferably as with the other waveguide includes a photochromic portion.An axially centrally located key emitter 55 is provided on one end plug600 to direct electromagnetic radiation through the hollow center of thehollow core 670 into the waveguide forming disc 702. A complementary keysensor 56 is provided in the other end plug 600.

FIG. 36 shows the use of two different waveguides. It is to beappreciated that merely one or other of these waveguides may beprovided. Each waveguide may preferably include a photochromic portionalthough this is not necessary.

In the embodiment in FIG. 35, the hollow core 670 is shown as preferablycomprising a plastic material which forms a waveguide. Rather than havethe entirety of the hollow core 67 being a plastic material, it maycomprise a composite material, for example, a thin cylindrical tube ofplastic material forming a waveguide about which there may be providedan additional tube of, for example, cardboard or other paper-likematerial. As well, rather than provide the waveguide on the hollow coreto be a continuous cylinder, the waveguide might comprise but a strandof optical fiber carried on a cylindrical tube of paperboard typematerial.

Reference is made to FIG. 37 which shows a similar roll of paper 672carried on a hollow core 670, however, in which the core 670 carries apair of end plugs 600 which are fixedly secured to the hollow core 670of the roll of paper and with each end plug 600 being removably securedin a catch member 800 which is fixedly secured to the side wall 623. Thetwo end plugs 600 together with the hollow core 670 are rotatable as aunit with a cylindrical end flange 702 of each of the end plugs 600received in a cylindrical journaling cavity within the catch members800. As seen, a key emitter 55 is provided in one catch member 800 andthe same catch member has a key sensor 56 at a diametrically oppositelocation. The cylindrical disc 702 on the end plug 600 thus serves thefunction of a waveguide and preferably includes a photochromic portion.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferredembodiments, many modifications and variations will now occur to personsskilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference is madeto the following claims.

1. A removable and replaceable keying component which is required foroperation of a mechanism, the keying component including anelectromagnetic radiation waveguide, the waveguide having an inlet forelectromagnetic radiation and an outlet electromagnetic radiation, thewaveguide providing a path for transmission of electromagnetic radiationfrom the inlet to the outlet, the waveguide includes a photochromicportion which contains a photochromic dye which has an inherentunactivated state and an activated state, on radiating with a dose ofactivation electromagnetic radiation in a range of activationwavelengths the photochromic dye changing from the unactivated to theactivated state, with the photochromic dye in the unactivated state thephotochromic portion having an inherent first transmissioncharacteristic of electromagnetic radiation in a range of testwavelengths, and with the photochromic dye in the activated state thephotochromic portion having a second transmission characteristic ofelectromagnetic radiation in the range of test wavelengths differentthan the first transmission characteristic, the keying component servinga function in the operation of the mechanism in addition to the functionof providing the waveguide.
 2. A keying component as claimed in claim 1wherein the photochromic dye is selected from the group consisting of areversible photochromic dye and an irreversible photochromic dye.
 3. Akeying component as claimed in claim 2 wherein the photochromic dyecomprises more than one photochromic dye including one or moreproperties selected from the following group of properties: (a) therange of activation wavelengths for each photochromic dye included beingthe same or different than the range of activation wavelengths for eachother photochromic dye included, and (b) the range of test wavelengthsfor each photochromic dye included being the same or different the rangeof test wavelengths wavelengths for each other photochromic dyeincluded.
 4. A keying component as claimed in claim 3 wherein in thephotochromic portion a concentration of each photochromic dye includedis selected to provide one or more properties selected from thefollowing group of properties: (a) the dose of activationelectromagnetic radiation in a range of activation wavelengths requiredto change each the photochromic dye included changing from theunactivated to the activated state dye being the same or different thanthe dose of activation electromagnetic radiation in a range ofactivation wavelengths required to change each other photochromic dyeincluded, and (b) an ability of each photochromic dye included in thephotochromic portion, in the activated state, to absorb electromagneticradiation in the range of test wavelengths being the same or differentthan an ability of each other photochromic dye included in thephotochromic portion, when in the activated state, to absorbelectromagnetic radiation in the range of test wavelengths, and (c) anability of each photochromic dye included in the photochromic portion,in the unactivated state, to absorb electromagnetic radiation in therange of test wavelengths being the same or different than an ability ofeach other photochromic dye included in the photochromic portion, whenin the unactivated state, to absorb electromagnetic radiation in therange of test wavelengths.
 5. A keying component as claimed in claim 1wherein the photochromic portion includes a reversible photochromic dye.6. A keying component as claimed in claim 5 wherein the reversiblephotochromic dye changing from the activated state to the unactivatedstate, either (a) after a reversion period of time has passed from thewaveguide last being last being radiated by activation electromagneticradiation in the range of activation wavelengths or (b) after beingradiated by a dose of reversion electromagnetic radiation in a range ofreversion wavelengths.
 7. A keying component as claimed in claim 6wherein the component comprises more than one of the waveguide with eachwaveguide being the same or different than other waveguides included inrespect of one or more of the following properties: (a) the photochromicdye, (b) a concentration of each photochromic dye included, (c) a lengthof the path for transmission of electromagnetic radiation from the inletto the outlet.
 8. A keying component as claimed in claim 1 wherein thefunction served by the keying component in addition to providing awaveguide is independent of the function of providing the waveguide. 9.A keying component as claimed in claim 1 comprising: a replacementcomponent for an apparatus for dispensing material, the replacementcomponent selected from the group consisting of: (a) wherein theapparatus for dispensing material is a dispenser for flowable material:(i) a chamber forming body for a pump having a chamber for receiving amovable material displacing element therein, (ii) a movable materialdisplacing element to be received in a chamber of a chamber forming bodyfor a pump, (iii) a chamber forming body for a fluid rotary pump havinga chamber for receiving a rotatable fluid displacing element therein,(iv) a pump impeller, (v) a piston chamber forming body for a fluidpiston pump having a chamber for slidably receiving a piston elementcoaxially therein, (vi) a piston element for a fluid piston pump, (vii)a reservoir for containing flowable material to be dispensed, (viii) aconnecting collar for engagement about an outlet of a reservoir forcontaining flowable material to be dispensed to secure the reservoir toa conduit via which the flowable material is dispensed, (ix) a pumpassembly for a fluid dispenser, and (x) a reservoir assembly including areservoir containing material to be dispensed in which the reservoirhaving an outlet and a valve mechanism across the outlet; and (b)wherein the apparatus for dispensing material is a dispenser for sheetmaterial wound on in roll; (i) a roll about which the sheet material tobe dispensed is wound, and (ii) an engagement member on a roll aboutwhich the sheet material to be dispensed is wound, which engagementmember provides for operative coupling of the roll to the dispenser forsheet material.
 10. A keying component as claimed in claim 9 incombination with the apparatus for dispensing material, the keyingcomponent removably coupled to the apparatus for replacement by asimilar keying component, a control mechanism to determine by inputtingelectromagnetic radiation into the waveguide inlet and sensingelectromagnetic transmitted through the waveguide from the waveguideoutlet if the keying component has the photochromic portion and tocontrol operation of the dispenser dependant on whether or not the stepof determining indicates the waveguide has or does not have thephotochromic portion.
 11. A keying component as claimed in claim 10wherein the dispensing apparatus further includes: an electromagneticradiation emitter directing electromagnetic radiation into the waveguidevia the inlet, and an electromagnetic radiation sensor carried by theactivation unit sensing electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide viathe outlet; the emitter capable of emitting activation electromagneticradiation in a range of activation wavelengths and electromagneticradiation in a range of test wavelengths, the sensor capable of sensingelectromagnetic radiation in a range of test wavelengths, the controlmechanism selectively controlling the emitting by the emitter ofactivation electromagnetic radiation in a range of activationwavelengths and electromagnetic radiation in a range of testwavelengths.
 12. A keying component as claimed in claim 11 wherein thecontrol mechanism controls operation of the dispensing apparatusdependent on whether the electromagnetic radiation sensed by the sensorappropriately correlates to one or more pre-selected electromagneticradiation profiles.
 13. A keying component as claimed in claim 12wherein one or more pre-selected electromagnetic radiation profiles isselected by the control mechanism as a function of electromagneticradiation emitted by the emitter.
 14. A keying component as claimed inclaim 13 wherein removal of the keying component causing destruction ofa portion of the waveguide which changes transmission characteristics ofelectromagnetic radiation from the inlet to the outlet via the path. 15.A keying component as claimed in claim 13 wherein the waveguide includesa frangible portion comprising a portion of the path, which frangibleportion if broken changes the transmission characteristics of thewaveguide such that the electromagnetic radiation sensed by the sensorwill not appropriately correlate to the pre-selected electromagneticradiation profiles, and wherein removal of the keying component from thedispensing apparatus breaks the frangible portion.
 16. A keyingcomponent as claimed in claim 9 wherein the photochromic portionincludes a reversible photochromic dye, wherein the reversiblephotochromic dye changing from the activated state to the unactivatedstate, either (a) after a reversion period of time has passed from thewaveguide last being last being radiated by activation electromagneticradiation in the range of activation wavelengths or (b) after beingradiated by a dose of reversion electromagnetic radiation in a range ofreversion wavelengths.
 17. A keying component as claimed in claim 9wherein the photochromic dye is selected from the group consisting of areversible photochromic dye and an irreversible photochromic dye.
 18. Akeying component as claimed in claim 17 wherein the photochromic dyecomprises more than one photochromic dye including one or moreproperties selected from the following group of properties: (a) therange of activation wavelengths for each photochromic dye included beingthe same or different than the range of activation wavelengths for eachother photochromic dye included, and (b) the range of test wavelengthsfor each photochromic dye included being the same or different the rangeof test wavelengths wavelengths for each other photochromic dyeincluded.
 19. A keying component as claimed in claim 9 wherein thecomponent comprises more than one of the waveguide with each waveguidebeing the same or different than other waveguides included in respect ofone or more of the following properties: (a) the photochromic dye, (d) aconcentration of each photochromic dye included, (e) a length of thepath for transmission of electromagnetic radiation from the inlet to theoutlet.
 20. A keying component as claimed in claim 19 wherein thephotochromic portion includes a reversible photochromic dye, wherein thereversible photochromic dye changing from the activated state to theunactivated state, either (a) after a reversion period of time haspassed from the waveguide last being last being radiated by activationelectromagnetic radiation in the range of activation wavelengths or (b)after being radiated by a dose of reversion electromagnetic radiation ina range of reversion wavelengths.